There’s been like 266 popes in the Catholic Church’s history, which has lasted for like 2,000 years and spans three millennia. So, when Pope Francis passed away, a bunch of formal events kicked off right away to elect the next big cheese in the Church. The whole process is a mix of tradition, fancy ceremonies, and practical stuff, and it’s been around for ages but hasn’t changed much in recent times. It all starts and ends with this thing called the conclave, where all the action happens. Now that Pope Francis is gone, everyone’s eyes are on the Vatican to see what’s next.
What’s the deal with the conclave, you ask? Well, it’s basically a gathering of cardinals who get together to pick a new pope. The word itself comes from Latin words that mean “together” and “key,” showing how secretive the cardinals are during their meetings and voting. The conclave happens during the interregnum, which is the time between when a pope dies and when a new one is elected, usually about 15 to 20 days later. It’s also known as the sede vacante, which means “vacant seat” in Latin. The pope’s body usually lies in state for a few days before the funeral and burial, so people can pay their respects. But the real discussions about the conclave don’t start until after the funeral, even though the cardinals are probably already talking about who they want as the next pope behind the scenes.
Now, who are these cardinals, you might wonder? They’re like the VIPs of the Catholic Church, second only to the pope. Originally, they were like the princes of the papal court, coming from powerful families in the Papal States. Cardinals wear red as a sign of their loyalty to the pope and the Church. Only the pope can make someone a cardinal, and once they’re appointed, they usually stay cardinals for life. They’re supposed to advise the pope and often have high-ranking positions in the Vatican. Although any member of the clergy can become a cardinal, it’s usually bishops and archbishops who get the nod. Pope Francis mixed things up by appointing cardinals from smaller dioceses to make the group more diverse and representative of the Church as a whole.
When it comes to electing a new pope, it’s the cardinals’ job. Those who get to vote are called cardinal electors, and there are currently 252 of them worldwide. During the conclave, only cardinals under 80 years old can participate. If you’re 80 or older, you can skip the conclave if you want. The cardinals have meetings every day during the interregnum, known as the General Congregation. Out of the 252 cardinals, 135 are eligible to vote in the conclave, the most ever. Two electors won’t be able to join due to health reasons.
So, who’s running the show at the Vatican during the sede vacante? The camerlengo, or chamberlain, takes charge during the conclave, including overseeing the whole thing. Cardinal Kevin Farrell is the guy in charge right now, appointed by Pope Francis in 2019. And who can be elected pope? According to canon law, any unmarried, baptized Catholic guy can be pope, clergy or not. But for the last 600 years, only cardinals have been chosen. The ideal pope is between 60 and 70 years old, serving for about 10 to 12 years. Too young, and they could be in power for ages; too old, and they might not do much.
When it’s time to vote, the cardinals head to the Sistine Chapel and write their choice on a ballot. If no one gets two-thirds of the votes, they keep voting. The longest conclave ever lasted over 1,000 days, but since 1831, they’ve usually wrapped up in four days. If a pope isn’t elected after about 13 days, the top two candidates have a runoff vote. The winner needs two-thirds of the votes to become pope.
And how do they announce the new pope? The famous smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney does the trick. Black smoke means no pope yet, and white smoke means they’ve elected someone. The bells of St. Peter’s Basilica ring too. Once the new pope says yes, it’s all official. He’s revealed to the world within an hour and introduced by the senior cardinal deacon on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. Then it’s time for the new pope to bless the crowd below and get to work.
In the end, the conclave ends when the new pope accepts his role, but the cardinals stick around for a bit. Pope Francis even asked them to stay an extra day to pray with him. So, that’s the rundown on how the Catholic Church picks a new pope. It’s a mix of tradition, secrecy, and a whole lot of voting. And that’s all she wrote.
