Sarah Mitchell
Selecting a new pope is a secretive process that occurs after the death or resignation of the previous pope. The College of Cardinals, made up of cardinals from across the globe, takes over the governance of the Catholic Church and is responsible for electing the next pope. The cardinals gather in Vatican City for a conclave, a term derived from the Latin word for a room that can be locked up, to vote for the new pope. Cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote, and the voting process continues until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority, which can take multiple rounds of balloting over several days. Once a new pope is elected, he is asked if he accepts and chooses a papal name. The senior cardinal deacon announces Habemus Papam (We have a pope), and the new pope delivers his blessing to the world.
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What You'll Learn
The College of Cardinals elects the pope
The College of Cardinals elects a new pope in a process that is part spiritual and part pragmatic. Cardinals are bishops and Vatican officials from across the globe, personally chosen by the pope and recognised by their red vestments. When a pope dies or resigns, governance of the Catholic Church passes to the College of Cardinals, whose main responsibility becomes the election of a new pope.
The College of Cardinals gathers in Vatican City for a conclave to choose a new pope. The term "conclave" comes from the Latin for a "room that can be locked up". The cardinals hold a series of meetings called general congregations, where they discuss the needs and challenges facing the Catholic Church and prepare for the upcoming papal election. The conclave takes place in the strictest isolation to avoid external influences or interference.
Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in a conclave. They are known as cardinal electors and must take an oath of absolute secrecy before sealing the doors of the Sistine Chapel. Cardinals vote by secret ballot, processing one by one to drop their ballot into a large chalice. Four rounds of balloting are taken each day until a candidate receives a two-thirds of the vote. If no candidate receives the required two-thirds majority, the ballots are burned with a mixture of chemicals to produce black smoke.
Once a new pope has been elected, the dean of the College of Cardinals asks him if he accepts his election. If he accepts, he chooses a papal name and is dressed in papal vestments. The ballots of the final round are burned with chemicals to produce white smoke, signalling to the world that a new pope has been chosen. The senior cardinal deacon announces "Habemus Papam" ("We have a pope") from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, before the new pope imparts his blessing on the city of Rome and the world.
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Cardinals under 80 are eligible to vote
Cardinals are bishops and Vatican officials from all over the world, personally chosen by the pope. They are recognised by their distinctive red vestments. When a pope dies or resigns, governance of the Catholic Church passes to the College of Cardinals, and it becomes their responsibility to elect a new pope.
The process of selecting a new pope is called a conclave, which comes from the Latin word for a "room that can be locked up". The College of Cardinals gathers in Vatican City for the conclave, and the cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote. This rule was implemented in 1975 to exclude cardinals over 80 from voting. These cardinals are known as cardinal electors, and they take an oath of absolute secrecy before sealing the doors of the Sistine Chapel, where the election takes place.
The cardinal electors vote by secret ballot, processing one by one up to Michelangelo's fresco of the Last Judgment. They say a prayer and drop the twice-folded ballot into a large chalice. Four rounds of balloting are taken every day until a candidate receives a two-thirds of the vote. The result of each ballot is counted aloud and recorded by three cardinals designated as recorders. If no one receives the necessary two-thirds majority, the ballots are burned with a mixture of chemicals to produce black smoke.
Once a new pope has been elected, he is asked if he accepts his election. If he does, he chooses a papal name and is dressed in papal vestments before stepping out onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to greet the crowds.
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![The Papal Conclaves / by the Rev. Arthur Robert Pennington ; Published under the Direction of the Tract Committee 1897 [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/617DLHXyzlL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
The election is held in the Sistine Chapel
The election of a new pope is held in the Sistine Chapel, located in Vatican City. The Sistine Chapel is sealed off during the election process to ensure secrecy and prevent external influences.
Cardinals, who are bishops and Vatican officials from around the world, are responsible for electing the new pope. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the conclave, and they must take an oath of absolute secrecy before the election begins.
The cardinals follow a specific procedure for casting their secret ballots. They process one by one up to Michelangelo's fresco of the Last Judgment, say a prayer, and drop their twice-folded ballot into a large chalice. Four rounds of balloting are typically held each day until a candidate receives the required two-thirds majority vote.
The ballots are burned after each round of voting, and the colour of the smoke indicates the outcome. Black smoke, produced by burning the ballots with damp straw or chemicals, signals that no pope has been elected. On the other hand, white smoke, created by burning the ballots dry or with chemical additives, announces the election of a new pope.
The Sistine Chapel is not only the site of the papal election but also where the newly elected pope is led to the Room of Tears to dress in white robes and receive a new pectoral cross and zucchetto, or head cap. This marks the beginning of the new pope's journey as the leader of the Catholic Church.
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The ballots are burned, with white smoke indicating a new pope
The election of a new pope is a highly secretive process, with the world only learning of the Catholic Church's new leader when the ballots are burned, sending white smoke into the Vatican City sky.
The process of selecting a new pope begins with the College of Cardinals taking over the governance of the Church. Cardinals are bishops and Vatican officials chosen by the pope, and only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in what is known as the conclave.
The conclave takes place in the strictest isolation, with the cardinals gathering in the Sistine Chapel to cast their secret ballots. Four rounds of balloting are taken each day until a candidate receives the required two-thirds majority vote. If the first vote of the morning or evening session is inconclusive, a second vote normally follows immediately, and the ballots from both votes are burned together at the end.
When a pope is finally elected, the ballots are burned immediately with chemicals to produce white smoke. This is a signal to the world that a new pope has been chosen. The senior cardinal deacon then announces "Habemus Papam" ("We have a pope") from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, before the new pope processes out and imparts his blessing on the city of Rome and the world.
In the past, there has been confusion over the colour of the smoke, so in 2005 a new tradition began, with the ringing of bells accompanying the white smoke to herald the news of a new pope's election.
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The pope-elect chooses a name and is dressed in vestments
The pope-elect, or the newly elected pope, is led to the Room of Tears in the Sistine Chapel, where he dresses in white vestments, including a white zucchetto, or head cap, and a new pectoral cross. The colour white is symbolic of the Catholic Church, with the pope being the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
The act of dressing in vestments is a significant one, marking the official start of the pope's leadership. The vestments are also a visual representation of the pope's role as the head of the Catholic Church and a successor to St. Peter the Apostle.
The pope-elect also chooses a papal name, which is a tradition that dates back centuries. The name chosen becomes the pope's official name during his papacy. The most common name chosen has been John, used 21 times, while names like Simplicius, Hilarius, and Zosimus have only been used once. The pope is the only person who decides his papal name, and this choice is kept secret until the official announcement.
After the pope-elect has chosen his name and dressed in his vestments, he is ready to make his first public appearance as the new pope. He steps out onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, where he is introduced to the world with the famous phrase, "Habemus Papam," which translates to "We have a pope." This announcement is made by the senior cardinal deacon, currently French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti.
The new pope then imparts his blessing on the city of Rome and the entire world. This blessing is an important moment as it is the first time the new pope addresses his followers and offers his spiritual guidance and support.
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Frequently asked questions
The process of selecting a Catholic pope is called a conclave. The conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals, the Church's most senior officials, who are appointed by the Pope and usually ordained bishops. During the conclave, the cardinals reside within the Vatican and are not permitted any contact with the outside world. The cardinals discuss the merits of likely candidates and vote via secret ballots.
The pope is chosen from one of the cardinals. However, theoretically, any baptised male Catholic can be elected pope.
The cardinals vote via secret ballots. Each ballot paper has the words "Eligio in Summum Pontificem" ("I elect as Supreme Pontiff") written on it, with a space for the name of the person chosen. Once a candidate receives a two-thirds majority, he is elected as the pope.
The ballots of the final round are burned with chemicals, producing white smoke to signal to the world the election of a new pope. The senior cardinal deacon announces "Habemus Papam" ("We have a pope") from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. The new pope then imparts his blessing on the city of Rome and the entire world.
The conclave must start 15 to 20 days after a pope's death. Four rounds of balloting are taken every day until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority.
