The next pope is chosen through a secretive and highly ritualized process called the papal conclave, involving the College of Cardinals. Here is how it works:
Who Votes
- Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote. Currently, there are about 133 cardinal electors from around the world
The Conclave Setting
- The cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, which is sealed off from the outside world during the conclave
- They take an oath of secrecy and hand over mobile phones to ensure confidentiality
Voting Procedure
- The voting begins after a Mass and spiritual preparation
- Each cardinal writes the name of their chosen candidate on a ballot in Latin, stating "I elect as Supreme Pontiff" and adds the candidate's name
- The ballots are folded twice, taken one by one to an altar under Michelangelo's fresco of the Last Judgment, and dropped into a chalice
- Four rounds of voting are held each day, two in the morning and two in the afternoon
Election Requirements
- A candidate must receive a two-thirds majority of the votes to be elected pope. This threshold was established by Pope Benedict XVI and is strictly enforced
- If no candidate reaches the required votes, the ballots are burned with chemicals producing black smoke, signaling no decision
- When a candidate achieves the two-thirds vote, the ballots are burned producing white smoke, signaling the election of a new pope
After Election
- The dean of the College of Cardinals asks the elected cardinal if he accepts the position
- Upon acceptance, the new pope chooses a papal name and is vested in papal garments
- The senior cardinal deacon announces "Habemus Papam" ("We have a pope") from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, and the new pope gives his first blessing to the city and the world
This process is steeped in centuries-old tradition and is conducted with utmost secrecy to maintain the sanctity and solemnity of choosing the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church
