Guide to the Conclave: How the Pope is Chosen
Vatican City: The process of electing the Roman Pontiff, known as the conclave, is a deeply traditional and solemn procedure governed by the Apostolic Constitution “Universi Dominici Gregis.” This constitution was issued by Pope John Paul II in 1996 and later modified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2013. The conclave involves cardinals of the Catholic Church who are under the age of 80, as they are entrusted with the responsibility of electing the new pope.
According to Ansa News Agency, the age restriction for voting cardinals was established in 1996 to ensure that the electors are actively involved in the church’s current affairs. Before the conclave officially begins, cardinals participate in General Congregations, which are preparatory meetings where they discuss and express their views on the church’s pressing issues. The most recent General Congregation took place on Tuesday morning, and the cardinals were then sequestered at Casa Santa Marta on Tuesday night, in preparation for the first voting session scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
The cardinals reside at Santa Marta, a hotel-residence commissioned by John Paul II in 2005, during the conclave. This residence is located more than a kilometer away from the Sistine Chapel, where the voting occurs, and shuttle services are provided for their convenience. Strict confidentiality is maintained throughout the process, with personnel involved swearing an oath of secrecy under the penalty of excommunication.
Prior to the conclave, a special mass called “Missa Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice” is celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica. Following this, the cardinals proceed to the Sistine Chapel in a procession. The cardinal dean, this year being Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, leads the oath-taking ceremony. The master of liturgical celebrations, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, then calls for “extra omnes,” signaling all outsiders to leave the premises. During the conclave, cardinals are completely cut off from the outside world, including any form of media.
On average, the conclave lasts between two to five days, with voting conducted by secret ballot. On the first day, one vote is cast, while on subsequent days, there are two votes in the morning and two in the afternoon. To successfully elect a pope, a candidate must receive a two-thirds majority of the votes. Ballots are marked with only one name, as any deviation renders them invalid. If no candidate achieves the required majority, the ballots are ceremoniously burned in the Sistine Chapel stove, producing black smoke to signal an inconclusive vote. In contrast, white smoke indicates that a new pope has been elected.
Once a candidate receives the necessary votes, the cardinal dean inquires in Latin if he accepts his election as Supreme Pontiff. Upon acceptance, the newly elected pope chooses a papal name, which he announces in Latin. The ballots are then burned with a dye that produces white smoke, signifying the election of a new pope. The newly elected pope retreats to the “Room of Tears” in the Sistine Chapel, where he dons one of three white cassocks provided for him. After this, he reads a passage from the Gospel of Matthew and receives homage from the cardinals.
The announcement of the new pope is made by the cardinal protodeacon, Dominique Mamberti, who declares “habemus papam” from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. The new pope then appears on the loggia to bless the crowd with the “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, marking the beginning of his papacy.