Sarah Mitchell
The process of becoming a Catholic Pope is steeped in history, tradition, and canon law. To be eligible, one must be a baptized Catholic male, and while it is not a strict requirement, most popes have been Cardinals. The path to becoming a Pope involves first becoming a priest, then a Bishop, and then a Cardinal. Cardinals are responsible for electing the Pope through a highly secretive process called a conclave, where they gather in the Sistine Chapel to vote for the candidate with a two-thirds majority. The chosen individual must then formally accept the role and be ordained as Bishop, if not already, before assuming the papacy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Requirements | Technically, the only requirements to become a pope are that you're a male and a practicing Catholic. |
| Who Elects the Pope? | The College of Cardinals, also known as the conclave, elects the pope. |
| Cardinal Requirement | While not a strict requirement, nearly all modern popes have been cardinals. |
| Cardinal Appointment | The pope appoints cardinals. |
| Cardinal Election Process | Cardinals under the age of 80 are brought to the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City to vote four times a day. The candidate who gets a two-thirds majority wins the election. |
| Bishop Requirement | The pope must be a bishop. Most viable candidates are already bishops before their election. |
| Priest Requirement | While a layman could theoretically be elected, it is exceedingly rare. Most candidates will have pursued the priesthood. |
| Pope's Salary | The pope traditionally receives a salary of $32,000 a year. However, some popes refuse to be paid and redirect their salaries to important causes. |
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What You'll Learn
- The only official requirements to become Pope are to be a male and a practising Catholic
- However, it is extremely rare for someone outside of the College of Cardinals to be elected
- To become a Cardinal, you must be appointed by the Pope
- Cardinals elect the Pope by a two-thirds majority during a secretive meeting called the conclave
- The Pope-elect must formally accept the role
The only official requirements to become Pope are to be a male and a practising Catholic
While the official requirements to become Pope are simply being male and a practising Catholic, the path to becoming Pope is long and complex. In practice, one must also be a Cardinal, climb the Catholic hierarchy, and be elected by a two-thirds majority of the College of Cardinals.
Firstly, only males can become Pope. Any baptised Catholic male with the use of reason is canonically eligible to be elected. However, in practice, the pool of candidates is much smaller. While it is technically possible for a layman to become Pope, the last time this happened was over 500 years ago.
Secondly, one must be a practising Catholic. The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church and, since 1929, the head of the sovereign city-state, Vatican City.
Thirdly, one must be a Cardinal. While not a strict requirement, nearly all modern Popes have been members of the College of Cardinals. Cardinals are appointed by the Pope, and there are only about 200 cardinals out of 5,000 bishops. Cardinals meet in a secretive conclave in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new Pope. Cardinals are sworn to secrecy and are not allowed to discuss what happens inside. Each cardinal writes down their choice for the next Pope on a piece of paper. To become Pope, a cardinal must receive a two-thirds majority of votes.
Finally, to become a Cardinal, one must climb the Catholic hierarchy. One must first become a priest, then a bishop, and finally a Cardinal. Bishops are appointed by the Pope, and they oversee a number of local churches. To become a bishop, one must be a pious person and have a reputation for holiness and leadership.
In conclusion, while the only official requirements to become Pope are being male and a practising Catholic, the unofficial requirements are much more extensive. One must be a Cardinal, climb the Catholic hierarchy, and be elected by a two-thirds majority of the College of Cardinals.
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However, it is extremely rare for someone outside of the College of Cardinals to be elected
While any male Catholic can technically become the pope, in practice, the pope is almost always elected from within the College of Cardinals. The last time a non-cardinal became pope was more than 500 years ago.
The College of Cardinals is made up of cardinals, who are appointed by the pope. Cardinals are typically appointed from the bishops, who in turn are appointed from the priests. The College of Cardinals meets in a secretive gathering called the conclave to elect a new pope. Cardinals under the age of 80 are brought to the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, where they are isolated from the outside world. To become pope, a candidate must receive a two-thirds majority of votes from the cardinals.
The pope is the head of the Catholic Church and, since 1929, has also been the head of the sovereign city-state of Vatican City. There is no age requirement to become the pope, and the only technical requirements are that one is a male and a practicing Catholic. However, in reality, the process of becoming a cardinal, which is widely considered a prerequisite to becoming pope, is long and complex.
The first step is to become a priest, which requires training and ordination. Then, one must be appointed as a bishop, which is a much more selective group than priests. There are around 400,000 priests worldwide, but only about 5,000 bishops. To become a bishop, one must be appointed by the pope or chosen by other bishops in the area.
Once one has become a bishop, the next step is to become a cardinal. However, only about 200 of the 5,000 bishops are cardinals. Cardinals are appointed by the pope, and it is from among these cardinals that the next pope is usually chosen.
Therefore, while it is technically possible for someone outside of the College of Cardinals to become pope, it is extremely rare. The last time this happened was more than 500 years ago, and the process of becoming pope has only become more exclusive since then.
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To become a Cardinal, you must be appointed by the Pope
The process of becoming a Cardinal begins with ordination as a priest. This is a challenging endeavour, particularly if you are more familiar with Protestant traditions, where the requirements for becoming a preacher are less stringent. After being ordained as a priest, one must then be appointed as a bishop. Bishops are typically required to have a PhD, and while they are technically appointed by the Pope, in reality, they are chosen by other Bishops from nearby dioceses.
Once appointed as a bishop, one may then be appointed as a Cardinal by the Pope. Cardinals are typically selected from among the bishops of major metropolitan areas. It is important to note that becoming a Cardinal does not remove your previous job title. For example, if you are the Archbishop of Los Angeles and become a Cardinal, you will retain your position as Archbishop.
Once appointed as a Cardinal, you will have the opportunity to participate in the conclave, the secretive meeting during which a new pope is elected. The conclave takes place in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and is attended by Cardinals under the age of 80. During the conclave, Cardinals vote four times a day until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority. It is important to remember that campaigning for the position of Pope is forbidden. Instead, focus on serving God, the Church, and your community according to Catholic principles.
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Cardinals elect the Pope by a two-thirds majority during a secretive meeting called the conclave
The process of electing a new Pope is a secretive one, known as a conclave, which takes place in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. The College of Cardinals assembles to vote on who among them will take the place of Pope, and they are sworn to secrecy. Cardinals under the age of 80 are brought to Vatican City and isolated from the outside world. The election process is never exactly the same as the previous Pope leaves instructions on how his replacement is to be chosen.
The conclave is an ancient tradition, dating back to 1059, when Pope Nicholas II decreed that the Cardinals were to elect a candidate to take office after receiving the assent of the clergy and laity. The College of Cardinals has had sole rights to elect a new Pope since the Third Council of the Lateran in 1179.
During the conclave, the Cardinals meet four times a day to vote in the Sistine Chapel. Cardinals write down their choice for the next Pope on a piece of paper, and to be elected, a Cardinal must receive a two-thirds majority of votes. This is the only way to become Pope—the man with the most votes is elected as the new Pope.
While any male Catholic can technically become Pope, in practice, the Cardinals prefer to elevate one of their own. The last time a non-cardinal became Pope was over 600 years ago. So, while not an official requirement, it is an "unofficial, official requirement".
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The Pope-elect must formally accept the role
The Pope-elect is not required to accept the role and can decline by responding "Non accepto" ("I do not accept"). In practice, any cardinal who intends not to accept will usually state this explicitly before receiving a sufficient number of votes to become Pope.
If the Pope-elect accepts, and is already a bishop, they immediately take office. If the Pope-elect is not already a bishop, they must be consecrated as one before assuming office. If a priest is elected, the dean of the College of Cardinals will consecrate them as a bishop.
The Pope-elect's acceptance of the role is a significant moment, marking their agreement to lead the Catholic Church and take on the responsibilities and duties associated with the position. It is the final step in the process of becoming the Pope, which combines centuries of tradition and modern-day practices.
While the path to becoming Pope is long and complex, the formal acceptance of the role by the Pope-elect is a critical juncture that solidifies their commitment to serving the Church and its followers.
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Frequently asked questions
The only technical requirements to become a Catholic Pope are that you are a male, a practicing Catholic, and have been baptised. However, it is advantageous to be a Cardinal, and to become a Cardinal, you must be appointed by the Pope.
To become a Cardinal, you must first be ordained as a priest, then appointed as a bishop, then appointed as a Cardinal by the Pope.
The Pope is chosen by the College of Cardinals, who assemble in the Sistine Chapel in Rome, Italy, to vote on who among them will take the place of the previous Pope. This meeting is called the Conclave. The Pope is elected by a two-thirds majority of Cardinals.
The road to becoming a Pope is long and complex. A new Pope is elected every 12 years, on average, so it is a lengthy process.
