Electing a Pope

A papal conclave is the process by which the College of Cardinals elects a new pope. The cardinals are bishops who have been appointed by a pope to fulfill this role.  They will be sequestered at the Vatican and will cast ballots several times each day vote until one candidate is chosen by a two-thirds majority.  The word “conclave” means “with (a) key” and indicates that the participating cardinals are “locked away” until a decision is reached. 

Who participates? Those cardinals who are under 80 years old are “Cardinal-electors” and participate in a Conclave. At present, there are 252 cardinals, but only 135 of them are under the age of 80 and, therefore, eligible to be “Cardinal-electors.”   

 Where does it take place? The meetings and the casting of ballots takes place in Sistine Chapel within the Vatican Palace. The Cardinal-electors will stay in the Domus Santae Martae, the same residence used by Pope Francis throughout his pontificate. 

How does it work? Cardinals are locked in seclusion and cannot communicate with the outside world until a new pope is chosen. During the conclave, they pray together throughout the day and cast their ballots. 

They vote by secret ballot, with each cardinal writing down the name of their chosen candidate.  Votes are tallied, and the process continues with up to four ballots taken each day until a candidate receives at least two-thirds of the votes.  

Secrecy and Seclusion: The conclave is conducted in complete secrecy, and the cardinals are isolated from the outside world to ensure they can make an independent decision. At the beginning of the conclave, before the cameras are turned off and the public is dismissed, the cardinal-electors take an oath to keep secret the discussions, the ballot totals, and anything else related to the selection of the next Pope, and to avoid any external influence on the election. 

History: The tradition of the conclave dates back to the 12th century and is the oldest historical method of electing a head of state that remains in use today.  

Following each counting of ballots, the paper ballots are burned and the smoke is released from the Sistine Chapel chimney as a signal to the public gathered in St. Peter’s Square to indicate if a pope has been elected. 

Faithful from around the world will be watching for “fumata bianca” (white smoke) which signifies that a new pope has been elected. (In recent years, the white smoke has been accompanied by the pealing of the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica.) “Fumata nera” (black smoke) indicates that the vote was inconclusive and a new pope has not yet been chosen. Balloting continues until one candidate receives two-thirds majority of votes. 

What happens when the new pope is elected?  The cardinal who has received at least a two-thirds majority of the vote will be asked first if he accepts election and then what name he will use as pope. (It is a long-standing tradition that popes do not use their own name in office.) The other cardinal-electors will promise their allegiance to the new Holy Father.  The newly elected Pope will move to the “Room of Tears,” a small antechamber where he will put on the white papal cassock.  It is called the “Room of Tears” because many have found it a place where the emotions of the moment come to the forefront. 

From there, the newly elected pope will be taken to the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica.  There, the senior cardinal-deacon will announce to the waiting world, “Habemus Papam” (We have a Pope), and will tell the world both his name and the name he has chosen to use as pope.  The new Holy Father will then appear on the balcony and offer a blessing “Urbi et Orbi” (to the City and to the World).  He will also likely make a few remarks.  Recent popes have returned to the conclave to spend the evening in prayer and fellowship with the cardinal-electors.