What is a conclave and when does the Vatican vote?

Telegraph

08-05-2025

The secretive election to choose a new pope began on May 7.
A group of 133 cardinals – the so-called 'Princes of the Church' – have gathered inside the Sistine Chapel at the heart of the Vatican to pick a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month of a stroke and heart failure at the age of 88.
When will the cardinals vote today?
What is a conclave?
How long will the conclave last?
How many cardinals are there?
How is the new pope elected?
Who could be elected next pope?
How will the Vatican declare the new pope?
When will the cardinals vote today?
There could be as many as four votes today with two ballots held in the morning and two in the afternoon until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority.
The first ballot will be at 10:30 (09:30 BST), followed by another at 12:00 (11:00 BST).
After the cardinals have lunch, there will be two more votes at approximately 17:30 (16:30 BST) and 19:00 (18:00 BST).
Smoke will be released periodically throughout the day to update the outside world.
What is a conclave?
The conclave is the arcane process of choosing the next pope. Cardinals from around the world gather beneath the frescoed ceilings of the Sistine Chapel in the heart of the Vatican, where they vote for Pope Francis's successor by secret ballot.
The chapel will have been swept for bugs and other recording devices and cardinals will be banned from using laptops or mobile phones.
For the last conclave in 2013, which followed the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, an oath of secrecy was taken by members of the Swiss Guard and Vatican gendarmerie, the city state's police force, as well as the doctors and nurses who assisted elderly or infirm cardinals.
A Vatican master of ceremonies will pronounce the words 'Extra omnes' (Everyone out), ordering staff and aides to leave the chapel so that only the cardinal electors remain.
How long will the conclave last?
The centuries-old tradition must be held between 15 and 20 days after the Pope's death. For a few days it will restore Rome's ancient title – 'caput mundi' or capital of the world – as 1.2 billion Catholics await the result of the election.
One ballot is held on the first day of the papal conclave.
For the rest of the conclave they will vote four times a day – twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon – burning their ballot papers after every second vote, until they reach a two-thirds majority.
How many cardinals are there?
There are currently 252 cardinals, but only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote.
This leaves 135 cardinals, coming from 71 different countries, with the decision to select the next pope.
How is the new pope elected?
The new pope will be elected by a secret ballot. The cardinals, known as 'princes of the Church', will be seated on chairs made of cherry wood behind 12 wooden tables covered in satin and cloth.
There will be a 13th table positioned in front of the altar, on which will be placed a silver urn into which the cardinals will cast their ballot papers.
Each cardinal writes his choice on a ballot paper inscribed with the words 'Eligo in summum pontificem' – 'I elect as Supreme Pontiff'.
What does the white smoke mean?
Two metal stoves are installed inside the 15th-century chapel, connected by a long metal pipe to the chimney on the roof.
One stove will be used for the burning of ballot papers after cardinals cast their votes, while the other will be used to emit coloured smoke – black to signify that the cardinals have yet to reach agreement, white to announce 'habemus papam' – we have a Pope.
Chemicals are used to create the different coloured smoke, although to avoid ambiguity, the white smoke that signifies a Pope has been elected will be accompanied by the ringing of St Peter's bells.
Once the two-thirds majority has been achieved, the most senior cardinal will ask the chosen cardinal if he is prepared to become pope.
If the answer in Latin is 'Accepto' (I Accept), he is taken into a side room known as the Stanza delle Lacrime, or Room of Tears, so named because many have wept at the enormity of the task they face.
There, he is given help to take off his scarlet cassock and change into the white vestments of the papacy.
He also has to decide by what name he wishes to be called – the name-changing tradition dates back to the sixth century when a priest named Mercury who was elected pope felt his name was too pagan and changed it to John II.
How will the Vatican declare the new pope?
The senior cardinal will then step out onto the balcony of St Peter's Basilica and declare in Latin: 'Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus papam!' (I announce to you a great joy. We have a pope!).
He will announce the name of the elected cardinal and the papal title he has chosen.
The new pope then gives his first blessing, watched by huge crowds in St Peter's Square and on television by millions around the world.
The ceremony to install the pope takes place a few days later.