What Happens During a Conclave? Cardinal Timothy Dolan Shares Behind-the-Scenes
The conclave to select a new head of the Catholic Church will take place on May 7 in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel
Cardinal Timothy Dolan shared a glimpse into the process of selecting a new pope, revealing that there is a focus on prayer and reflection
White smoke will be sent up the chimney once the new pope has been elected
With less than a week left until the conclave to select a new pope is set to begin, Cardinal Timothy Dolan has given an inside look at the process.
The meeting of the College of Cardinals, where the next head of the Catholic Church will be selected, is scheduled to take place on May 7, following the death of Pope Francis on April 21 at the age of 88.
Dolan said the choosing of a new pope focuses on prayer and reflection rather than campaigning, according to Fox News' The Story.
Related: What Is a 'Conclave' and How Does It Work? An Expert Demystifies the 'Secret' Process That Decides the Next Pope (Exclusive)
"Every cardinal will have the chance to speak. Do they speak about, 'Oh, I think this guy should be the next pope?' Baloney. They're not about to say that," said Dolan.
The archbishop told the outlet that each cardinal will instead "speak about where they come from and what they see to be the light and some of the darkness in the church, what they see to be the blessings and what they see to be the challenges."
"This will give us not only appreciation for that cardinal's wisdom about where he comes from, but also, it'll give us a sense of that wider church," he said.
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Related: Conclave to Elect Pope Francis' Successor Will Begin May 7, with Cardinals Converging to Select New Pontiff
Noting that the church is "universal," Dolan said that the conclave is "a beautiful pollination of wisdom and knowledge."
Speaking of Francis' impact, he added that while "every cardinal in the world will say [that] we need a pope with some of the characteristics of Pope Francis," the conclave allows cardinals to express what they want in a new pope.
"They might also say, but here's some things we'd like to see the new pope emphasize. ... We don't look at one another as belonging to camps. We look at each other as believers, as disciples, as brothers," said Dolan, per Fox News' The Story.
The church announced on Monday that the conclave will take place in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, which will remain closed to visitors during those days.
While speaking about the process to PEOPLE, Kathleen Sprows Cummings, a nationally recognized Pope Francis expert and professor of American Studies and History at the University of Notre Dame, said that the cardinals will pray for guidance before voting can begin.
"There'll be a Mass presided over by the dean of the College of Cardinals," said Cummings. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, a 91-year-old Italian, currently holds the title. Being that he is over the age of 80, he is ineligible to vote.
The first ballot usually takes place that first night, and the cardinals who can cast ballots 'will continue to vote until they reach a two-thirds majority," per Cummings.
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She explained that after each vote, smoke is sent up a chimney. Once white smoke is seen, it signifies that a new pope has been elected.
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