The pope is elected through a secretive and traditional process called the papal conclave, held in the Sistine Chapel. Only cardinals under the age of 80, known as cardinal electors, participate in the voting, and there can be no more than 120 electors at a time
. The key steps are:
- Secrecy and Oath: Before voting, all cardinal electors swear an oath of absolute secrecy. The Sistine Chapel doors are sealed to prevent outside communication, and any breach of secrecy results in excommunication
- Voting Procedure: Voting is done by secret ballot. Each cardinal writes the name of their chosen candidate on a folded ballot, which they drop into a chalice after praying before Michelangelo's fresco of the Last Judgment
. Four rounds of voting occur daily (two in the morning and two in the afternoon)
- Majority Needed: A candidate must receive a two-thirds majority of the votes to be elected pope. For example, with 133 electors, at least 89 votes are required
- Counting and Smoke Signals: Votes are counted aloud by three designated cardinals (scrutineers). If no candidate achieves the necessary majority, the ballots are burned with chemicals producing black smoke, signaling no pope has been chosen yet. When a pope is elected, white smoke is produced to announce the decision to the world
- Duration and Pauses: If no pope is elected after three days of voting, the cardinals pause for prayer and reflection before continuing. After multiple inconclusive rounds, the process may include further pauses and eventually a runoff vote between the top two candidates, who cannot vote themselves. The two-thirds majority rule still applies
- Acceptance and Announcement: Once a candidate receives the required votes, the dean of the College of Cardinals asks if he accepts the election. Upon acceptance, he chooses a papal name and is vested in papal garments. The senior cardinal deacon then announces "Habemus Papam" ("We have a pope") from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, and the new pope gives his first blessing
In theory, any baptized male Catholic can be elected pope, but in practice, the choice is almost always from among the cardinals
. This process combines centuries-old tradition, spiritual reflection, and strict secrecy to select the leader of the Roman Catholic Church
