Papal Conclave
When the leader of the Catholic Church dies or resigns, the world turns its eyes to Rome, where an ancient and highly structured process begins: the Papal Conclave. But what actually happens inside this secretive gathering? Here’s a clear guide to how a pope is elected — from the moment the conclave begins to the dramatic appearance on the balcony of St. Peter’s. Basically the word Conclave comes from the Latin Cum Clave, which means “with a key” which is technically an accurate description of the Papal conclave process where Cardinals are locked inside the Sistine Chapel until they reach a decision. So who gets to vote? Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the conclave, and Church rules limit the number of electors to 120. These senior church leaders come from all over the world, representing the global Catholic community.
The conclave doesn’t start immediately after a pope’s death or resignation. Instead, there’s a waiting period of at least 15 days to allow time for all the cardinals to arrive in Rome. Once gathered, they enter the Sistine Chapel — famously adorned with Michelangelo’s frescoes — and are locked away from the outside world. One thing that’s really sacred during the Conclave process is the maintenance of secrecy, and they do this by making sure that all cardinal electors are locked in with no phones, internet of media, they are sworn to secrecy, breaking this oath can result in excommunication and modern conclaves has now the electronic safeguards to prevent leaks and spying.
When the voting process begins, each cardinal will need to write down their selection, fold the paper and insert it at the chalice by the altar. In order to win, a majority is needed which is two thirds of the votes. If a Pope is chosen, a white smoke will announce the selection of a new pope, if there’s no majority yet, a black smoke will be released. Once a cardinal is elected, he’s asked: “Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?” If he agrees, he chooses his Papal name. Soon after, the Cardinal Protodeacon steps onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and announces to the crowds: “Habemus Papam!” (We have a Pope!)
Moments later, the new pope appears to greet the world.
