As Catholic cardinals gather in Vatican City this week, the centuries-old process of selecting the next pope is set to begin.
Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21 at age 88, the College of Cardinals is beginning the process of selecting his successor. The process, known as the conclave, is one of the most secretive elections in the world, cloistered inside the Sistine Chapel under intense procedural rules designed to preserve the sanctity and security of the decision.
Voting begins on May 7 following an opening mass and formal procession into the Sistine Chapel. From that moment on, the cardinal electors are cut off entirely from the outside world.
Electronic communications, including phone signals, will be disabled beginning at 3 p.m. local time to prevent any unauthorized contact or surveillance, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.
How Does the Papal Conclave Work?
Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote. This year, 133 cardinals are expected to participate, despite a formal cap of 120. While it is technically possible for any baptized Catholic male to be elected pope, the role has been filled exclusively by cardinals since the 14th century.
Each voting session involves cardinals writing a name on a ballot, folding it and depositing it into a designated urn. Votes are tallied and verified by scrutineers. The results of each vote are then burned in a stove inside the Sistine Chapel.
If no consensus is reached, chemicals are added to the burning papers to produce black smoke. White smoke signifies that a new pope has been elected and accepted the position.
“There’s a lot of confusion,” Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, the archbishop of Jakarta, said on Monday after listening to speeches from 50 cardinals. “We have heard many voices. It’s not easy to draw conclusions.”
The chapel is swept for electronic devices, and signal jammers are installed to prevent any leaks. All attendees, including support staff such as electricians and elevator operators, are sworn to secrecy and remain sequestered in the Vatican, with no contact with their families until the conclave ends.
How Long Could the Conclave Last?
There is no fixed duration for a conclave. Some elections in earlier centuries stretched for months—or even years. The longest in history, following the death of Pope Clement IV in 1268, lasted almost three years and ultimately led to the establishment of stricter conclave rules by Pope Gregory X in 1274.
In modern times, conclaves have generally lasted only a few days. Francis was elected in 2013 on the fifth ballot. His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, was chosen on the fourth. Voting continues until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority. If no pope is elected after three days, a pause of up to one day is permitted for reflection and discussion before voting resumes.
How Will We Know When the Next Pope Has Been Chosen?
Public notification of the election result comes in two ways: smoke and bells. The burning of ballots produces smoke that is channeled through a special chimney installed atop the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke signals inconclusive voting, while white smoke, enhanced by a special chemical mixture, confirms a successful election.
Vatican firefighters installed the chimney on May 2 in preparation. In addition to the visual cue, bells from St. Peter’s Basilica ring to mark the moment of election. Once the new pope accepts the role and selects a papal name, he emerges on the balcony above St. Peter’s Square to deliver his first public blessing.
How Secretive Is the Process?
Secrecy is foundational to the conclave. Cardinals must surrender all electronic devices, and the Sistine Chapel is placed under full lockdown. Signal jammers are deployed, and phone service is cut off in the area surrounding the chapel.
According to reports, security has also been ramped up in St. Peter’s Square, including metal detectors, anti-drone systems and checkpoints. Support staff involved in the conclave’s logistics take oaths of secrecy and remain housed inside Vatican City until the conclave ends.
“They all take an oath and will be in full-time service, staying overnight in the Vatican, without having contact with their families,” the Vatican City State Governorate said in a statement.
Traditionally, even the type of food allowed into the conclave is regulated to avoid hidden messages. Nuns prepare meals such as lamb skewers, boiled vegetables and spaghetti, avoiding foods that could be used to conceal communication.
Why Is It Called a Conclave?
The word conclave comes from the Latin cum clave, meaning “with a key,” a reference to the historical practice of locking cardinals away during a papal election to ensure secrecy and prevent external influence.
The term was formalized after the prolonged papal election of 1268–1271, when political divisions delayed the selection of a new pope for almost three years. Officials in Viterbo, Italy, eventually confined the cardinals and even removed the hall’s roof in a drastic effort to compel a decision. Gregory X, elected after the deadlock, responded by instituting strict procedures for papal elections in 1274—including the enforced isolation of cardinals—laying the foundation for the modern conclave system.
What Happens Next
As voting begins on May 7, global attention returns to the Vatican, where more than 100,000 people are expected to gather in anticipation. With 108 of the 135 eligible cardinals appointed by Francis, his influence may be felt even in his successor’s selection. While ballots and debate remain behind closed doors, the world will watch the chimney for that moment of white smoke and the announcement, “Habemus Papam.”
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