Vatican Conclave: How the Next Pope is Elected

The Papal Conclave Process

• 🎯 The papal conclave is the traditional and secretive process used by the Catholic Church to elect a new pope.
• 🗓️ The conclave begins with a mass celebrated by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, followed by cardinals proceeding to the Sistine Chapel.
• 📜 Cardinals take an oath, and then the doors are closed with the Latin phrase "extra omnes" (everyone out).

Inside the Sistine Chapel

• 🔒 Once inside, cardinals are cut off from the outside world, with no access to televisions, newspapers, or radios.
• 🗳️ Voting takes place at the chapel altar, with cardinals casting ballots in front of Michelangelo's "Last Judgment."
• ⚪ White smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney signifies the election of a new pope.
• ⚫ Black smoke indicates that the voting continues, as a two-thirds majority has not yet been reached.

Voting and Duration

• 📅 Cardinals will cast a single vote on the first day, with potential for four votes each subsequent day (two in the morning, two in the afternoon) if no decision is made.
• ⏳ There is no set deadline for the conclave to end; its duration is up to the cardinals.
• 📈 Historically, recent conclaves have lasted between two and five days, with Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis being elected on the second day.
• ⏳ The longest conclave on record took place in the 13th century and lasted nearly three years.