A new pope is chosen through a process called a papal conclave, which generally begins 15 to 20 days after the papacy becomes vacant (i.e., after the previous pope dies or resigns). The College of Cardinals, consisting of bishops and Vatican officials, gathers in the Sistine Chapel where they take an oath of confidentiality and remain sequestered until they elect the new pope. The election requires a two-thirds majority vote from the cardinal electors. Voting is held up to four times a day, with ballots cast secretly. If no candidate receives two-thirds of the votes, black smoke is emitted from the chapel chimney to signal no decision. Once a candidate achieves the required majority and accepts the position, white smoke is released to announce the election to the public. The voting continues in rounds until a pope is chosen, with pauses for prayer and reflection if voting extends beyond certain rounds. The longest conclave historically lasted almost three years, but modern conclaves typically resolve within days to weeks. For example, following the death of Pope Francis in April 2025, the conclave to elect his successor began on May 7, with the voting continuing until a new pope was selected.
Thus, a new pope is chosen typically within a few weeks after the papal seat becomes vacant, through a secretive, highly ritualized voting process by the College of Cardinals.