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Irish Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Conclave: Live updates as cardinals set to gather in Sistine Chapel to elect new pope
-1 minutes ago Today is the first day of the conclave to elect a new Pope and while it is impossible to say who that will be or exactly when an announcement will be made, we do have a fairly clear timeline of how the first day will unfold. First up the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church will gather for mass in St Peter's Basilica. It will be an occasion filled with the pomp and ceremony you might expect with the mass celebrated by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Battista Re. He, you no doubt will recall, led the funeral mass of Pope Francis just over a week ago. After the mass the 133 elector-cardinals will go to the Sistine Chapel. The doors will be locked at exactly 4.30pm (Rome time) which is 3:30pm Irish time and the election of the 267th Pope will begin in earnest. [ When and how will the new pope be elected in the conclave of cardinals at the Vatican? Opens in new window ] There will be just the one ballot on Wednesday and if no one gets a two thirds majority, the ballot papers will be burned and – following the addition of certain chemicals – black smoke will billow from a special chimney that has been installed in the Sistine Chapel for the occasion. The elector cardinals will then retire for the day. They will return to the Sistine Chapel on Thursday morning ahead of two more ballots in the morning, a break for lunch and then two more ballots in the afternoon. It will be a case of rinse and repeat on Friday – assuming there has not been white smoke before then. If there is no pope elected by Friday evening, there will be a day off for reflection – or lobbying – after which a further seven ballots will take place. If there's still no white smoke there will be another 24 hour pause before there's a further seven ballots. If after four such pauses there is still no pope, the cardinals will vote for one of the two remaining most popular candidates and once one of them has a two-thirds majority we will have a pope.
Irish Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
When and how will the new pope be elected in the conclave of cardinals at the Vatican?
When does the election of the new pope begin? At 4.30pm (Rome time) on Wednesday the election of the Catholic Church 's 267th Pope begins as the 2025 conclave commences in the Vatican 's Sistine Chapel, following Mass in St Peter's Basilica, celebrated by Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Battista Re. How do the ballots work? There is just one ballot on Wednesday, with four each day thereafter (two in the morning, two in the afternoon). With a two-thirds majority required of the 133 elector cardinals (88 or 89 votes), it is possible that we will have a pope by Thursday evening, probably by Friday and, if not by then, the cardinals (and bookmakers) will get on their knees to pray. The cardinals will take a day off to reflect before returning to the Sistine Chapel for another seven ballots. If there's still no pope by then, there will be another 24 hour pause before there's a further seven ballots. If after four such pauses there is still no pope, the cardinals will agree to vote just on the two remaining most popular candidates, with the winner requiring a simple majority only. READ MORE That would hardly be a satisfactory way to begin any papacy. [ Eamon Ryan: Here's a job for the next pope. Deliver us from climate apathy Opens in new window ] What's expected to happen? To the relief of most, a succession of votes is not expected to be the case with this conclave. The cardinal-electors have been talking among themselves since Francis died on Easter Monday. Many of them may not have known one another before then but surely have the measure of one another by now after two weeks of 'general congregations'. Before the election of Francis in 2013 there were seven such 'general congregations'. By Tuesday afternoon of this week there had been 12. It was expected the conclave itself would begin on Monday, but that was pushed out to Wednesday. In other words, all has been geared towards consensus and a shorter conclave. Why the hope for a shorter conclave? This is considered desirable for the next pope and the future of the Catholic Church, suggesting unity. It would be in keeping with most recent conclaves. Francis was elected in 2013 after five ballots over two days; Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 after four ballots over two days also; Pope John Paul II in 1978 after eight ballots over three days; his predecessor in 1978 also, Pope John Paul I, after four ballots over two days; Pope Paul VI after six ballots over three days; and Pope John XXIII in 1958 after 11 ballots over four days. When was the longest conclave? The longest ballot in the 20th century was in 1922 when it took 14 ballots over five days to elect Pius XI. So it is not unreasonable to expect this third conclave of the 21st century to elect a pope by Thursday or Friday. [ The Irish disapora and its role in electing the successor to Pope Francis this week Opens in new window ] Which cardinal should I put my money on? Gambling on the outcome? If you are a Catholic, you would have been excommunicated for doing so, by decree of Pope Gregory XIV in 1591, but that was allowed lapse by Pope Benedict XV in 1918. In 2005, the late David Power of Paddy Power bookmakers was escorted from St Peter's Square by security staff after displaying his betting prices there just before the conclave which elected Pope Benedict XVI. Despite this, as he told media afterwards, the firm took more than €235,000 in bets on the outcome. Cardinal Ratzinger opened at 12-1, but by the eve of that conclave he was 3-1 favourite, with Paddy Power paying out just over €90,000 in winnings. With Pope Benedict then aged 78, people were already taking bets on his successor just days after his election. 'Like any event when a champion is crowned, we have resumed betting on his likely successor,' Power said at the time. Then, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, who was elected Pope Francis in 2013, was at 9-1. Paddy Power is offering odds on for the favourite Cardinal Pietro Parolin, an Italian, at 5-2, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines at 3-1, and Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, another Italian, at 9-2; with odds of 11-10 on `Habemus Papam' (we have a Pope) by Thursday, and 7-4 by Friday.
ABC News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
This conclave, some of the most influential cardinals won't even be inside
As dean of the College of Cardinals, this is supposed to be Giovanni Battista Re's moment. The Italian is about as close to a Vatican lifer as you can get; ordained in 1957, aged 23, before joining the Holy See's administrative arm four years later and working his way up the ranks. He's held many prestigious roles in the decades since. For 11 years, Cardinal Battista Re served as substitute for general affairs, which, contrary to what its name suggests, is not temporary at all. You're effectively the pope's chief of staff. He also headed the Congregation of Bishops, which is the primary body which selects who among the clergy will be promoted to lead dioceses, between 2000 and 2010. Now, as the person in charge of the College of Cardinals, it's his job oversee the secretive ritual of the conclave, in which a new pope will be selected. Although there's an issue: Cardinal Battista Re won't be in the Sistine Chappel when voting begins next week. At 91, he's too old, and not permitted to take part (cardinals aged over 80 aren't allowed to vote). That doesn't mean he won't have a significant influence. Large crowds have descended on the Vatican over the past fortnight. ( ABC News: Che Chorley ) Cardinals have been holding formal meetings since the day after Pope Francis died to make decisions about the litany of procedural steps that follow. But as more and more arrive at the Catholic Church's headquarters, Vatican insiders have said the agenda can shift away from administrative issues to the conclave. While campaigning is forbidden, these closed-door meetings, which Cardinal Battista Re will oversee, are an opportunity for would-be pontiffs to test the waters. It's a delicate balance for candidates who will likely get nowhere if they openly canvass support, but must also do something to get noticed. Difficult? Absolutely. But not impossible. Read more about Pope Francis's death: In the lead-up to the most recent conclave 13 years ago, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who was then a cardinal from Argentina, gave a speech at one of these meetings that lasted less than five minutes, according to multiple reports. Whatever vision he outlined for the church must have landed, because he emerged from the subsequent conclave, which lasted a rather brisk two days, as Pope Francis. Photo shows Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel. Electing a new pope is a centuries-old process that involves the Catholic Church's most senior officials from around the world, and two different colours of smoke. Hendro Munsterman, the Vatican correspondent for Dutch newspaper Nederlands Dagblad said the days before the conclave started were crucial for cardinals, who are spread all over the planet. "They will probably also need time to get to know each other during these first days when they meet before the conclave starts," he said. "Then we'll see if there is, I would not say factions, but if there are some similarities in the analysis of the church's situation ... if they think the direction Pope Francis gave the Catholic Church is something to go on and to pursue." The Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals, Leonardo Sandri, also won't be able take part on the conclave, because he's 81. That means the largely ceremonial role of overseeing the voting inside the Sistine Chapel will fall to the oldest current cardinal, Spain's Carlos Osoro Sierra. Nuns watch on during Pope Francis's funeral at the weekend. ( ABC News: Che Chorley ) The youngest cardinal taking part in the conclave will be Ukrainian-born Melbourne bishop Mykola Bychok. The 45-year-old was elevated to the position last year, and said he would approach the decision with "humility and responsibility". "This is an historic moment for the church, for the world, and for me as a young cardinal," he said last week. "It is a moment of learning, of listening and of standing in unity with my brothers from around the globe." Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who holds the position of camerlengo, will also have a significant role in the conclave. Since Pope Francis's death, the 77-year-old has effectively been the Holy See's caretaker, and will continue in that role until a new pontiff is selected. He's also charged with running preparations for the conclave, ensuring the election process is conducted according to tradition, along with three scrutineers, who'll count the votes.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mourners for Pope told to ‘build bridges, not walls' at funeral celebrating migrants
Mourners at Pope Francis's funeral were told to 'build bridges, not walls' in a service that celebrated the former pontiff's work advocating for migrant rights. 'His gestures and exhortations in favour of refugees and displaced persons are countless. His insistence on working on behalf of the poor was constant,' said Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, in a tribute to Francis on the steps of St Peter's Basilica. 'Build bridges, not walls, was an exhortation he repeated many times.' The phrase has been interpreted as an oblique criticism of Donald Trump's efforts to construct a wall along the Mexican border during his first presidency. Pope Francis was openly critical of the US president's policy on migrants on a number of occasions. As Cardinal Battista Re repeated the late pontiff's words, Mr Trump was sitting in the front row of the ranks of world leaders. Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, and Emmanuel Macron, his French counterpart, were also in the front row. Prince William and Sir Keir Starmer were seated further back. The funeral ceremony was attended by at least 200,000 people and watched by millions around the globe. From scarlet-robed cardinals and helmeted Swiss Guards in their distinctive Renaissance uniforms to incense and soaring choral music, the two-hour service featured all the considerable pomp and ceremony the Vatican can muster – and which the Argentinian pontiff often eschewed during his 12-year papacy in favour of more humble gestures. Francis, who died from a stroke at the age of 88 on Monday, was described as 'a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone'. His funeral took place in front of the basilica, on a broad flight of steps overlooking St Peter's Square. It was just six days ago that Pope Francis delivered a blessing from the balcony of the basilica and was then driven around the piazza in his white Popemobile, looking wan and tired, but waving to the crowds. It was his last public appearance before his death early on Monday morning in his residence inside the Vatican. 'The final image we have of him, which will remain etched in our memory, is that of last Sunday, Easter Sunday, when Pope Francis, despite his serious health problems, wanted to give us his blessing from the balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica,' said the 91-year-old Cardinal Battista Re. 'He then came down to this square to greet the large crowd gathered for the Easter Mass while riding in the open-top Popemobile. Despite his frailty and suffering towards the end, Pope Francis chose to follow this path of self-giving until the last day of his earthly life.' Pope Francis was hailed for his outreach towards ordinary people – in Cardinal Battista Re's words, 'the marginalised, the least among us'. The vast crowd was reminded that the first of the Pope's 47 apostolic journeys was to Lampedusa, the tiny Italian island south of Sicily where hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees have arrived in the last decade after crossing the Mediterranean from Africa. 'The guiding thread of his mission was also the conviction that the Church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open. He often used the image of the Church as a 'field hospital' after a battle in which many were wounded,' the cardinal continued. At the start of the service, the Pope's simple wooden coffin was carried out of the basilica, where it had lain in state since Wednesday, by 14 pallbearers wearing white gloves. During those three days of lying in state, an estimated quarter of a million people endured long queues to pay their respects to the Catholic Church's first pope from the Americas and its first Jesuit brilliant sunshine, the coffin was laid to rest on a platform overlooking St Peter's Square, which was thronged with mourners. 'In this majestic St Peter's Square, where Pope Francis celebrated the Eucharist so many times and presided over great gatherings over the past twelve years, we are gathered with sad hearts in prayer around his mortal remains,' said Cardinal Battista Re. 'The outpouring of affection that we have witnessed in recent days following his passing from this earth into eternity tells us how much the profound pontificate of Pope Francis touched minds and hearts.' On the opposite side of the coffin to the foreign dignitaries was a phalanx of cardinals, archbishops, bishops and patriarchs, resplendent in their robes and mitres. Among them is the next pope – he just does not know it yet. That will only be known at the culmination of the conclave, the secretive and arcane election held inside the Sistine Chapel, which will choose a successor to Francis with a series of ballots. Gathering to make the momentous decision some time after May 5 will be 133 cardinal electors – those of the Church's cardinals who are eligible to participate because they are under the age of 80. The world will only learn that a new pope has been chosen when white smoke starts to billow from a chimney installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. Soon after there will be the announcement of 'habemus papam' – Latin for 'we have a pope'. The new pope will then appear on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Mourners for Pope told to ‘build bridges, not walls' at funeral celebrating migrants
Mourners at Pope Francis's funeral were told to 'build bridges, not walls' in a service that celebrated the former pontiff's work advocating for migrant rights. 'His gestures and exhortations in favour of refugees and displaced persons are countless. His insistence on working on behalf of the poor was constant,' said Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, in a tribute to Francis on the steps of St Peter's Basilica. 'Build bridges, not walls, was an exhortation he repeated many times.' The phrase has been interpreted as an oblique criticism of Donald Trump's efforts to construct a wall along the Mexican border during his first presidency. Pope Francis was openly critical of the US president's policy on migrants on a number of occasions. As Cardinal Battista Re repeated the late pontiff's words, Mr Trump was sitting in the front row of the ranks of world leaders. Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, and Emmanuel Macron, his French counterpart, were also in the front row. Prince William and Sir Keir Starmer were seated further back. The funeral ceremony was attended by at least 200,000 people and watched by millions around the globe. From scarlet-robed cardinals and helmeted Swiss Guards in their distinctive Renaissance uniforms to incense and soaring choral music, the two-hour service featured all the considerable pomp and ceremony the Vatican can muster – and which the Argentinian pontiff often eschewed during his 12-year papacy in favour of more humble gestures. Francis, who died from a stroke at the age of 88 on Monday, was described as 'a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone'. His funeral took place in front of the basilica, on a broad flight of steps overlooking St Peter's Square. It was just six days ago that Pope Francis delivered a blessing from the balcony of the basilica and was then driven around the piazza in his white Popemobile, looking wan and tired, but waving to the crowds. It was his last public appearance before his death early on Monday morning in his residence inside the Vatican. 'Path of self-giving until the end' 'The final image we have of him, which will remain etched in our memory, is that of last Sunday, Easter Sunday, when Pope Francis, despite his serious health problems, wanted to give us his blessing from the balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica,' said the 91-year-old Cardinal Battista Re. 'He then came down to this square to greet the large crowd gathered for the Easter Mass while riding in the open-top Popemobile. Despite his frailty and suffering towards the end, Pope Francis chose to follow this path of self-giving until the last day of his earthly life.' Pope Francis was hailed for his outreach towards ordinary people – in Cardinal Battista Re's words, 'the marginalised, the least among us'. The vast crowd was reminded that the first of the Pope's 47 apostolic journeys was to Lampedusa, the tiny Italian island south of Sicily where hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees have arrived in the last decade after crossing the Mediterranean from Africa. 'The guiding thread of his mission was also the conviction that the Church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open. He often used the image of the Church as a 'field hospital' after a battle in which many were wounded,' the cardinal continued. At the start of the service, the Pope's simple wooden coffin was carried out of the basilica, where it had lain in state since Wednesday, by 14 pallbearers wearing white gloves. During those three days of lying in state, an estimated quarter of a million people endured long queues to pay their respects to the Catholic Church's first pope from the Americas and its first Jesuit pope. In brilliant sunshine, the coffin was laid to rest on a platform overlooking St Peter's Square, which was thronged with mourners. 'In this majestic St Peter's Square, where Pope Francis celebrated the Eucharist so many times and presided over great gatherings over the past twelve years, we are gathered with sad hearts in prayer around his mortal remains,' said Cardinal Battista Re. 'The outpouring of affection that we have witnessed in recent days following his passing from this earth into eternity tells us how much the profound pontificate of Pope Francis touched minds and hearts.' Conclave to begin within days On the opposite side of the coffin to the foreign dignitaries was a phalanx of cardinals, archbishops, bishops and patriarchs, resplendent in their robes and mitres. Among them is the next pope – he just does not know it yet. That will only be known at the culmination of the conclave, the secretive and arcane election held inside the Sistine Chapel, which will choose a successor to Francis with a series of ballots. Gathering to make the momentous decision some time after May 5 will be 133 cardinal electors – those of the Church's cardinals who are eligible to participate because they are under the age of 80. The world will only learn that a new pope has been chosen when white smoke starts to billow from a chimney installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. Soon after there will be the announcement of 'habemus papam' – Latin for 'we have a pope'. The new pope will then appear on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica.
