To become Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, the following key steps and requirements apply:
Basic Eligibility
- Must be a baptized Catholic male.
- Must be at least 35 years old.
- Must have studied theology, canon law, or related subjects.
- Must be unmarried and willing to remain celibate
Typical Career Path
- Usually, one becomes a priest first, requiring extensive education including philosophy and divinity studies.
- Then advance to become a bishop.
- Typically, one is named a cardinal, though it is not strictly required to be a cardinal to be elected pope. However, in modern times, the pope is almost always chosen from among the cardinals
Election Process
- When the papacy is vacant (due to death or resignation), the College of Cardinals convenes in a secret meeting called the Conclave, held in the Sistine Chapel.
- Only cardinals under the age of 80 can vote.
- Voting is by secret ballot, up to four rounds per day, until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority.
- If no candidate reaches the required votes, ballots are burned producing black smoke; white smoke signals a new pope has been elected
After Election
- The elected candidate must accept the election.
- If not already a bishop, he must be ordained immediately before assuming office.
- The new pope then chooses a papal name and is publicly announced with the phrase "Habemus Papam" ("We have a pope") from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica
Summary
While technically any baptized Catholic male can become pope, in practice the path involves becoming a priest, then bishop, then cardinal, gaining recognition for holiness and leadership, and finally being elected by the College of Cardinals in a conclave
. Thus, becoming pope is a highly selective, spiritual, and political process within the Catholic Church hierarchy.
