Pope Francis passed away on Monday at the age of 88, after several weeks hospitalized and then recovering from the Holy See. Now the process begins to search for the person who will take on the role as the new leader of the Catholic Church.
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When a pope dies or resigns, the Catholic Church begins the process of choosing his successor. This is done in an event called Conclave, a closed-door meeting of the cardinals in the Sistine Chapel, in the Vatican. Cardinals are a high rank within the Catholic Church, responsible for appointing the new pope, also serving as advisors to the pontiff, and are identifiable by their red attire.
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According to ecclesiastical tradition, the next Conclave will not begin before fifteen days or after twenty days from the date of the death of Pope Francis. This means that the Conclave could start between May 6 and May 11, 2025.
How is the Conclave held to elect a new pope?
The Conclave begins after a period of mourning or, in the case of a resignation, reflection. Only cardinals under 80 years old can participate in the voting. They isolate themselves from the outside world with no access to phones or the internet to avoid external influences.
The voting process is secret. Each cardinal writes the name of their candidate on a ballot and deposits it in a special urn. Then, the votes are counted out loud.
For a candidate to be elected, they must obtain at least two-thirds of the votes. If no one reaches that amount, the votes are burned with a chemical substance that produces black smoke, indicating that there is still no Pope. Up to four votes are held each day, and if a new pope is not chosen, they continue the next day. When that happens, the ballots are burned with another substance that generates white smoke.
The election of Francis took just one day.
The chosen cardinal accepts the position and selects a new papal name. Then, he dresses in white robes and is presented to the world from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.