The world’s attention will turn to the Vatican on Wednesday as the Roman Catholic Church begins one of its most solemn and tradition-bound rituals: the conclave to elect a new pope, following the death of Pope Francis.
Steeped in centuries of history and shrouded in secrecy, the conclave is both a spiritual and political event—its procedures unchanged in form, though adapted in detail over time. The ceremony culminates in a moment recognized worldwide: white smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and the ringing of bells, signaling the successful election of a new pontiff.
The term conclave comes from the Latin cum clave, meaning “with a key,” reflecting the tradition of locking the cardinals away from the outside world until they have reached consensus. As always, this year’s gathering of cardinal-electors—those under the age of 80 from the College of Cardinals—will cast their votes beneath Michelangelo’s famous frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, in the heart of the Vatican.
Before deliberations begin, the cardinals will take an oath of secrecy, vowing to keep the details of their discussions and ballots strictly confidential. To preserve the integrity of the process, they will be cut off from all outside communication—no newspapers, radio, television, phones, or internet. The aim is to shield them from any external influence and ensure that divine guidance, rather than political maneuvering, leads the way.
The cardinals will stay at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, a guesthouse within Vatican City built in the 1990s. This accommodation is a far cry from the austere sleeping arrangements of the past, when conclave participants lodged in the Apostolic Palace under less comfortable conditions.
While in theory, any baptized male Catholic is eligible for election, the papacy has always been conferred upon a cardinal. There is no formal list of candidates. Each cardinal submits a secret ballot, writing down the name of his preferred choice on a slip of paper beginning with the phrase Eligo in summum pontificem—“I elect as Supreme Pontiff…”
To protect anonymity and avoid revealing personal alliances, cardinals are encouraged to disguise their handwriting. Voting proceeds with one ballot on the first day, followed by up to four ballots per day until one candidate garners the required two-thirds majority.
The ballots are burned after each round. If no decision has been reached, chemicals are added to produce black smoke—fumata nera—a visible sign to the waiting crowds that the Church is still without a pope. Once a pope is chosen, white smoke—fumata bianca—billows into the Roman sky.
If after three days no decision is reached, the cardinals pause for a day of prayer and reflection, as outlined by Pope John Paul II in his 1996 apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis. This break allows for informal conversations and may help break deadlocks.
Voting is conducted using three urns: one for collecting votes, another for storing counted ballots, and a third for accommodating cardinals too ill to attend the chapel.
Once a cardinal receives the necessary majority, he is asked whether he accepts the role. Upon acceptance, he immediately becomes pope and selects his new papal name—often a tribute to a previous pope or revered saint.
The world is then informed of the new pontiff by the senior cardinal deacon, or protodeacon, who steps onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and proclaims: Habemus papam—“We have a pope.”
Though some conclaves in history have dragged on for months or even years, recent elections have typically concluded within a week. Now, with the Catholic Church at a crossroads, the world awaits the announcement of its new spiritual leader—chosen in secrecy, revealed in ceremony, and tasked with guiding over a billion faithful into a new era.
