How a Papal Conclave Works: The Election of the Next Pope

The Period of Mourning and General Congregation

• 🕊️ Following the death of the Pope, a period of mourning will commence, lasting nine days and including the Pope's funeral.
• 🏛️ After the mourning period, the general congregation phase begins, where cardinals convene in Rome to discuss the church's current issues.

The Papal Conclave Process

• 🔒 The conclave, derived from a Latin term for a locked room, is the process where cardinals elect the next Pope.
• 🗓️ This election process is set to begin 15 to 20 days after the Pope's death.
• 🗳️ Cardinals will cast their votes behind closed and locked doors within the Sistine Chapel.

Voting and Smoke Signals

• 🔥 Traditionally, used ballots are tied together with a string and then burned.
• 💨 The outcome of the vote is signaled to the outside world by smoke emanating from a chimney: black smoke indicates no new Pope has been elected, while white smoke signifies that a new Pope has been chosen.