Latest news with #Eurocentric
Washington Post
3 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Ask Sahaj: I've never felt worthy of love or attention. How can I start?
Hi Sahaj! I'm 26 years old and ethnically South Asian. I've never really felt worthy of love or attention — romantic or otherwise. Growing up, I didn't feel like I deserved hobbies or interests just for my own enjoyment, and now as an adult, I struggle with prioritizing myself. I'd love to dive into painting, pottery, going to coffee shops or just spending relaxing afternoons at the park (stuff that genuinely brings me joy), but I have a constant fear of doing those things. I can't understand why. I've always put other people's needs above mine, to the point where I feel like I don't even know how to center myself in my own life. I wonder if this is common for women of color? Maybe it's rooted in some deeper cultural or societal messaging I've internalized? At this age, it's starting to weigh on me that I've never been pursued romantically. I've never experienced the warmth and affection of romantic love. Seeing everyone around me enjoying supportive relationships makes me feel incredibly lonely and somehow 'lesser-than.' Deep down, there's a fear I'm unattractive and undeserving because I don't fit into the White, Eurocentric beauty standards that dominate the culture around me. It's making me question my own worth in ways that hurt deeply. How can I begin to believe I deserve love, hobbies and happiness? How can I learn to genuinely love myself and see myself as deserving of being at the center of my own life, especially when the messages around me seem to suggest otherwise? — What About Me? What About Me?: You have been performing 'excellence' as a survival strategy. You may have been taught, implicitly or explicitly, that you owe your family success, stability and credibility in exchange for their sacrifices. This isn't uncommon in South Asian families and in immigrant families more broadly. Over time, this pursuit of excellence becomes entangled with your sense of self-worth. You start to believe your value lies in how well you fulfill the duty placed on you. But who are you without the 'model child' mask? What parts of you had to be hidden, silenced or softened to be seen as dutiful? It's okay to step away from perfection. It's okay to choose joy, creativity and rest — not as rewards, but as your birthright. Who are you when you are not producing, giving or doing? It sounds like you may come from a family where love is shown through provision, discipline, protection — not affection, validation or freedom to explore personal joy. So it makes total sense that now, as an adult, you struggle to center yourself without guilt. You weren't born believing you were undeserving — you learned it. This isn't just psychological. It's generational, cultural and systemic, and that's why it's so hard to 'just believe' you deserve love and happiness. But joy is not selfish. It's not frivolous. Joy is a form of healing, and quite honestly, it's an act of rebellion and resistance. You're not 'wasting time' when you go to a coffee shop or paint for an afternoon; you're rewriting the story that your worth comes from labor or self-sacrifice. I understand this can feel uncomfortable, but start small. Spend 10 minutes once a week sketching, or have a goal to go to one coffee shop in the next two weeks and do nothing except people-watch. It will be so important for you to slowly infuse this joy and creativity into your life; otherwise, you will never do it. Consider bringing a friend or accountability partner along for a pottery class, or journal as you go to process how this feels and what you are unlearning/learning about yourself along the way. Doing more of what you want will also allow you to see yourself in a more positive light. You are feeling the pressures of Eurocentric beauty standards — which can affect even the most self-assured people — but neglecting your desires is almost certainly compounding the issue. As I said in a previous column, society constantly decenters women of color from desirability narratives, but that doesn't mean you're not desirable. When you've never been reflected in stories of softness, affection and being wanted, it makes sense you'd internalize a sense of invisibility. Healing this starts with seeing yourself with new eyes and surrounding yourself with voices that reflect that back. That could mean following South Asian artists, models and creators who redefine beauty. Or it could mean reading poetry or stories by women of color about love and desire. Even more, turn the lens inward and affirm your own worth. What do you love about yourself? What does it mean to listen to your bodily wisdom of what feels good and pleasurable? What are your needs in relationships? I don't believe you need to love yourself to be loved by others; after all, relationships can actually give us agency to discover self-love. So while you wait for romantic love, pursue reparative relationships — where you feel safe, seen and can practice being vulnerable — in friendships and with strangers. Get to know that barista at the local coffee shop you're going to visit. Practice showing up in your fullness. Love that aligns with who you are will come when it comes. And it will not make you more whole; it will simply meet you where you already are. You're not 'less than' for not having had that yet. You're simply waiting for someone who can hold the fullness of your being, which you are just now learning to reclaim for yourself. Let the romantic loneliness remind you that you crave connection not because you're lacking, but because you were made for it. You ask how you can truly believe you deserve love, hobbies and happiness. The truth is: You don't 'convince' yourself. Rather, you begin to believe it by practicing it, gently and consistently, in your life.
Tokyo Weekender
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
City of Others: How Asian Artists Shaped Paris' Golden Age of Modernism
There are few periods in modern art history as revolutionary and prolific as the one spanning the 1920s to the early 40s in Paris. Beginning with les années folles — 'the crazy years' — the epoch saw an explosion of experimental art, music, literature and film. Writers and painters from around the world flocked to the city in pursuit of creative freedom and collaboration, forming the École de Paris (School of Paris): a community of French and foreign-born artists associated with intersecting avant-garde movements. For decades, the legacy of this cultural zeitgeist has largely been filtered through a Eurocentric lens — Pablo Picasso's fragmented geometric creations, Salvador Dalí's psychological landscapes and Marc Chagall's lyrical, azure canvases permanently etched in our popular imagination. Moving beyond this dominant narrative, the National Gallery Singapore provides a kaleidoscopic window into the vibrant network of Asian artists in Paris, who contributed immensely to global modernism in their own ways through an extraordinary stylistic and cultural hybridity. Titled 'City of Others: Asian Artists in Paris, 1920s–1940s,' the comparative exhibition consists of six thoughtfully curated thematic sections, paying tribute to the artists' visions, lived experiences and nuanced self-reflexivity. The displays draw from over 50 lenders from around the globe and include works by Tsuguharu Foujita, Georgette Chen, Lê Phổ, Yun Gee and many more luminaries. At the heart of 'City of Others' is the question of how these artists, romanticized yet peripheral in a foreign land, shaped complex visual languages within dual spheres — one populated by a Parisian public with preconceptions of 'Asian' aesthetics and the other shaped by the increasingly cosmopolitan, rapidly shifting notions of modern art back home. List of Contents: Portraits of Self as Other Art Deco and 'Asian' Influence Colonial and Anti-Colonial Agendas The Promise of Prestige A City of Artistic Freedom and Exchange About National Gallery Singapore Related Posts Pai Un-soung. Self-Portrait (Atelier). Early 1930s. Oil on canvas, 60.5 x 51 cm. Collection of Centre culturel Français de Daejeon Georgette Chen. Self Portrait. c.1923. Oil on Canvas. 35 x 27 cm. Collection of National Gallery Singapore. Portraits of Self as Other The exhibition opens with a set of self-portraits by the artists featured throughout the exhibition, focusing on how they dealt with a new and shifting identity as 'other' while shaping their public image. Pan Yuliang, one of the few Asian female artists in Paris during the 1930s, casts a quietly confident gaze upon the viewer, rejecting exoticized portrayals of Chinese women. Korean artist Pai Un-soung appears solemn and professional in his portrait, dressed in a coat and tie. Vietnamese painter Mai Trung Thứ, on the other hand, playfully adopts the trope of a modern artist-bohemian, smoking a cigarette with an eyebrow cocked. Foujita Tsuguharu. Autoportrait au chat (Self-Portrait with Cat). 1926. Oil, pen and ink on canvas, 80.4 x 60.2 cm. Gift of the artist in 1927. Collection of Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon. © Fondation Foujita / ADAGP, Paris, 2025. Image © MBA Lyon – Photo Martial Couderette. B 1435. In his self-portrait, the aforementioned Foujita, a prominent figure of the École de Paris, illustrates his stylistic duality as a foreign-born painter, using an innovative technique of fine black sumi ink lines on a ground of chalky white. 'Self-Portrait with Cat' (1926) sets the tone for his skillful fusion of modernism and Japanese painting traditions throughout the exhibition. Art Deco and 'Asian' Influence One of the main fields in which Asian artists wielded significant influence was the decorative arts, especially pertaining to the art deco movement. Art deco (short for arts décoratifs) is often characterized by rich, bold colors, geometric shapes and material splendor. Lacquerware and lacquer art were particularly in vogue and essential to the flourishing aesthetic — and many of these luxurious ornaments were crafted by Vietnamese and Japanese artists. 'Japanese prints that have circulated in Paris for centuries set a certain audience expectation [about Japanese aesthetics],' says Phoebe Scott, lead curator of the exhibition. 'What's different about this period is that it's not just art objects coming from Asia … artists, designers and workers arrived in large numbers and actually participated in the ateliers of the decorative arts.' (From left to right) Hamanaka Katsu. six-panelled screen with mythological scene. 1939, Composition. c. 1930, Panels. c. 1925. Installation view, City of Others: Asian Artists in Paris, 1920s–1940s, National Gallery Singapore, 2025 Katsu Hamanaka, a prominent Japanese lacquer artist, was acutely aware of the French appetite for exotic motifs and textures, as evidenced by his sumptuous and elaborate pieces; yet, he avoided reductive 'Oriental' imagery by drawing from a variety of visual references. 'The era of simply introducing 'things Japanese' is over. We must create products that fit into European lifestyles, items that fulfill practical needs rather than being exotic curiosities. This is the only path forward,' he claimed. Hamanaka's rarely seen 'six-panelled screen with mythological scene' (1939), composed of lacquer and gold leaf, is a particularly striking example of his engagement with classical mythology, rendering what appears to be the Three Graces on a deep crimson backdrop. Hamanaka had no previous training in lacquer when he arrived in Paris in 1924, but the surge in demand for lacquer at the time enabled him to establish a workshop with a team of artisans, once he learned techniques from compatriot and master lacquerer Seizo Sugawara. Jean Dunand. La forêt (Forest). 1930. Gold and silver lacquer and hinges; 12 panels, total 300 x 600 cm. Collection of Mobilier National. Image courtesy of Mobilier National; photo by Isabelle Bideau, GME-7196-000. While certain Vietnamese artists, like Phạm Hậu, exhibited lacquer paintings under their own names, many Vietnamese artisans remained uncredited for their expertise. For instance, the studio of Jean Dunand, a preeminent Swiss-born lacquer artist, saw enormous growth upon employing expert workers from traditional lacquer-producing regions of Vietnam. The exhibition honors and credits some of these invisible artisans for the first time, with a rare record of their names from the French national archives. View of the Pavilion of Indochina at the International Colonial Exposition, 1931, photographed by M. Cloche. Reproduced from M. Cloche, 60 Aspects de l'Exposition Coloniale (Paris: Éditions arts et métiers graphiques, 1931), unpaginated. Collection of National Gallery Singapore Library & Archives, gift of Adrian Jones. Colonial and Anti-Colonial Agendas Although the population of Vietnamese artists in Paris was relatively small compared to those from Japan or China, their art gained prominence in the cultural sphere, partially to promote French colonialism. Paris was the site of the International Colonial Exposition of 1931, where European powers showcased their empires through art from the colonies and grand reproductions of native architectural styles. 'It was felt that the broad French public had disconnected a bit from the idea of colonialism, and the intention was to re-engage them with an excitement about the colonial setting,' Scott explains. Some eight million people visited the exposition. Activists from both France and Indochina, including Ho Chi Minh, resisted the valorization of colonialism through political cartoons, satirical images and text. Also contesting the Colonial Exposition were surrealist intellectuals and artists like André Breton and Yves Tanguy, who established an anti-colonial 'counter exposition' titled 'The Truth About the Colonies' in union with the PCF (the French Communist Party) . Lê Phổ. L'ge heureux (The Happy Age). 1930. Oil on canvas, 126 x 177 cm. Private American collection. Photo: © Aguttes. For many Vietnamese artists, like Lê Phổ and Vũ Cao Đàm, however, the exposition presented a complex 'politics of achievement,' as Scott notes. Vietnamese modern art had its first international exposure there, allowing its constituents to forge their careers in Paris. The Promise of Prestige 'City of Others' further delves into the intricacies of how Asian artists strategically positioned themselves within the competitive Parisian art scene, discussing the kinds of works that received interest and the platforms that launched careers. Navigating the practical and cultural boundaries of salons, museums and commercial galleries was no simple task; it meant balancing issues of personal and national identity, along with public appeal. (From left to right) ink works by Chen Shuren, Wang Yachen, Qi Baishi, Gao Qifeng, Zhang Daqian, Xu Beihong. Displayed at the Exhibition of Chinese Painting, Musée du Jeu de Paume, Paris. 1933. Installation view, City of Others: Asian Artists in Paris, 1920s–1940s, National Gallery Singapore, 2025 In response to the city's surge in artists from around the world and audience interest in foreign styles, a space dedicated to foreign modern art was established. The Musée du Jeu de Paume exhibited and collected the art of 'contemporary foreign schools' throughout the 1920s and 30s, showcasing Japanese and Chinese paintings among others. 'It's interesting to see that in these two exhibitions, the organizers had many choices of what to present of Japanese or Chinese art, but they purposely, unconsciously, I think, chose to focus on works done in ink,' remarks senior curator Lisa Horikawa. 'What the French audience expected to see from artists from Asia was important for the organizers.' The French audience's preconceptions of Asian art were also on the artists' minds. Xu Beihong, one of China's famed modern painters, gravitated toward oils and academic realism in the 1920s but initially chose to present his traditional ink works in Paris. 'This [duality in oil and ink] represented not only the two distinct threads in Xu's practice, but also the trends of Chinese artists in Paris in general,' curator Teo Hui Min explains. Itakulla Kanae.《赤衣の女》(Woman in Red Dress). 1929. Oil on canvas, 116.8 x 80.3 cm. Collection of Matsudo City Board of Education. Image courtesy of Matsudo City Board of Education. 'Their time in Paris was not intended to be for good. The artists had a limited time in Paris, perhaps a few years, and it was important for them that they find an opportunity to exhibit their work in Paris,' Horikawa says. Household names like Kanae Itakulla (also spelled 'Itakura'), Pai, Chen and Liu Kang were among the sea of hopefuls competing for their works to be selected for large-scale, juried salon exhibitions at places like the Salon d'Automne — having their names published in salon catalogs or winning awards became an important stepping stone toward exhibiting at commercial galleries. Liu Kang (right) and Fu Lei (back row, right) with friends in Paris 1930. Collection of the family of Liu Kang © Liu Kang Family A City of Artistic Freedom and Exchange Many Asian painters, like Xu and Itakulla, found success through figurative and academic styles, which coincided with the rappel à l'ordre ('return to order') movement in Paris at the time — a renewed interest in the classical ideals of the Greco-Roman tradition, emphasizing realism, balance and harmony. Others experimented with more avant-garde styles and Western techniques, crafting singular and beautiful modernist masterpieces. The École de Paris did not have a uniform style and celebrated a variety of new informal and progressive methods, further encouraged by the presence of independent art academies in the area. various works by Liu Kang, 1929-32. Installation view, City of Others: Asian Artists in Paris, 1920s–1940s, National Gallery Singapore, 2025 Much of this experimental spirit stemmed from the free, bohemian environment in Montparnasse, the famous artistic hub located on the Left Bank of Paris' Seine River. 'Such a community … is not composed solely of Parisians, and indeed one can find people of over 50 nationalities,' Foujita, one of Montparnasse's most famous foreign residents, mused. 'It is no wonder this environment fosters unconventional ideas and creativity.' 'The artists didn't arrive in Paris with a blank slate, but brought their own artistic trajectories that they built in their home country or elsewhere,' Horikawa notes, highlighting Chinese American modernist Yun Gee, who lived and worked in Guangdong, San Francisco, Paris and New York City, as an example. 'Place Maubert' (1929), a swirling, dreamlike rendering of a glowing Parisian night, captures his expressionist and surrealist influences. Yun Gee.《莫伯特广场》Place Maubert. 1929. Oil on canvas, 73 x 60 cm. Private collection. Image courtesy of Tina Keng Gallery. Kigai Kawaguchi, a key figure in Japan's Western-style painting tradition, likewise demonstrates his cubist influences in 'Still Life, Mandolin' (1927–31). The work's title and subject matter reference Picasso's 'Still Life with a Mandolin' (1924), while its geometric abstraction takes inspiration from the synthetic cubism of Picasso and Chagall. As the site of such unprecedented and generative cultural exchanges, Montparnasse itself — and Paris by extension — became a muse for the artists who infused it with texture and life through their brushstrokes. While the aftermath of World War II brought an end to the city's cultural prestige, visual languages and many Asian artists' Parisian tenures, their love letters to 'the crazy years' immortalize its electric atmosphere and boundless creativity. photography by Lisa Knight courtesy of national gallery singapore About National Gallery Singapore National Gallery Singapore is home to the world's largest public collection of Singaporean and Southeast Asian art and endeavors to recontextualize the region's artistic contributions within global narratives. The institution is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025. Beyond its extensive permanent collection and thoughtfully curated special exhibitions, the gallery embodies Singapore's unique history through its architecture. It is housed in two national monuments — the City Hall and the former Supreme Court — making it an iconic cultural landmark. Related Posts Kenzo Tange: Japan's Most Influential Architect | Spotlight Japan's Golden Legacy at the Cannes Film Festival Contemporary Artists To Watch in 2025 From Art Fair Tokyo
Refinery29
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Refinery29
Maria Thattil On Ancestral Roots & Showing Up In Culture
Maria Thattil 's relationship with her hair hasn't always been wrapped in confidence. For years, it was knotted with experimentation and the unspoken pressure to fit into beauty ideals. But these days, as she reflects on her beauty journey perched at Australian Fashion Week, she's no longer looking to blend in. She's building looks and a legacy, from the roots up. Her hair, as she describes it, is 'naturally a little bit wavy, a little bit textured.' But it's more than just a texture or aesthetic. It's an inheritance, one that ties her to mum, grandma and ancestors. Thattil proudly shares that she has 'the same long, dark, silky South Asian hair as them,' and that sense of connection has become central to her identity. Over the years, though, she's strayed from that hair, or rather, was nudged away by beauty ideals that didn't include her. "I've experimented a lot," she tells Refinery29. "And not always for the right reasons." Thattil previously opened up to us about how she dyed her hair to look less Indian in the past — like so many women of colour, her hair became a site of negotiation, something to lighten or tame in pursuit of belonging. ' It's been really nice over the years coming back to myself and being confident in that. ' Maria is an ambassador for Shark Beauty, the presenting partner of Australian Fashion Week 2025. The brand's tagline — 'For all hair kind'— is something she personally resonates with. It's more than branding. It's a reclamation. A refusal to shrink her identity to meet Eurocentric standards. And, in her words, it's deeply political. As a South Asian woman growing up in Australia, Maria remembers being teased for oiling her hair. "That's my earliest memory of hair care," she reflects. "My grandma did it to my mum, my mum would oil my hair. It's an act of love, but it's Ayurvedic." What once drew ridicule, the scent, the slickness, the visible difference, is now trending. But it stings when traditions passed down through generations become aesthetic currency only when worn by someone else. ' It only becomes cool when it's on someone else. What belongs to you is only celebrated when it's on other bodies. ' Maria is clear: she's not against appreciation, she's against erasure. "We don't want our culture repackaged and resold to us. It's just honouring that this is who we've always been." That distinction is particularly relevant during Fashion Week, where South Asian aesthetics are often borrowed but rarely credited. Maria notes the trend of wearing scarves styled like dupattas, traditional South Asian garments, without context. "People will take something from a culture and not honour the roots, and profit off it and exploit it and commodify it," she says. Still, there are moments of joy and reclamation. She points to the showgoers, the journalists, the creators who are turning up in 'jumkas and bangles and dupattas and saris,' wearing their culture loudly and proudly. 'We're going to show up and we're going to wear our culture with pride,' she says, and her voice lights up at the thought. Hair, for her, is often the starting point for that expression. "Hair is actually very often the base, where I then build these looks around it," she explains. Whether she's feeling grunge in a tee and baggy jacket or stepping out in couture, her hair is her anchor, an extension of how she feels that day. ' Fashion should be something that empowers you, not makes you blend in,' Maria says. She loves seeing the shift away from trends for trends' sake. For her, the real power lies in style as self-expression, in dressing and styling from the inside out. And while she might now have access to 'the best hair stylists' and tools, her off-duty vibe is more low-key. "Honestly, on my days off, I'm just a hair mask and plaits kind of girl," she laughs. 'It's a balance.' Maria is hopeful about the direction the fashion and beauty industries are moving, especially with how digital voices are forcing change. 'I think the biggest change I've seen is that brands are listening a lot to people when they call for diversity,' she explains. 'But we still have a long way to go.' That long way includes body diversity, age inclusion, and disability representation, not just in front of the camera, but backstage, in boardrooms, and on design teams. "Fashion really, truly is for everyone," she says. And that has to be reflected across every layer. Her partnership with Shark Beauty reflects that alignment. 'Their ethos is for all hair kind,' she says. 'It's about people embracing their hair in all its unique and diverse textures and forms. That sets a precedent.' For Thattil, reclaiming her hair kind isn't just about looking good, though that's very much on the cards. It's about honouring the rituals, resisting the repackaging, and choosing to show up fully in the world as she is. The girl who once got teased for oily plaits is now setting the standard for what hair, and pride, really look like. Roots and all.
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
New Pope Update: Cardinals to Begin Largest Ever Conclave
World New Pope Update: Cardinals to Begin Largest Ever Conclave Vaitcan. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa arrives in the New Hall of the Synod at the Vatican, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, the last time before the start of the conclave starting in the afternoon of Wenesday, May 7, when they will elect the successor of Pope Francis. AP In a historic moment for the Catholic Church, 133 cardinal electors have launched the largest conclave in modern times to select the next pope. The world is waiting to see who will replace Pope Francis after the gathering, which reflects his expansive, international appointments to the College of Cardinals, making it markedly more diverse and less Eurocentric than past conclaves. What Time Does the Conclave Begin? The Wednesday ceremonies began with mass at St. Peter's Basilica at 10 a.m. local time. It was conducted by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who also led Pope Francis' funeral service. At around 4:15 p.m., the cardinals will gather in the Pauline Chapel to form a procession to the Sistine Chapel while singing the hymn Veni Creator, an invocation to the Holy Spirit. The conclave will officially begin when all nonessential personnel are ordered to leave the chapel following the pronouncement of "extra omnes" ("everyone out") by the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Diego Ravelli. From that point, cardinals are isolated from the outside world, with no phones or TVs, until a pope is selected, with Swiss Guards stationed at every entrance of the Sistine Chapel. What Happens in the Conclave? Voting takes place twice each morning and twice each afternoon. Ballots are distributed by Vatican officials and collected in strict secrecy. A two-thirds majority is required to elect a new pope. If no one secures that on the first ballot, the cardinals return to their guesthouse, Casa Santa Marta, for dinner and informal discussions before voting resumes the next day. Daily routines continue, with meals and prayers structured between voting sessions. Notably, kitchen staff and waiters are also sworn to secrecy and confined to Vatican grounds for the duration of the conclave. After each round of voting, ballots are burned. If no pope is selected, chemicals produce black smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney. White smoke, accompanied by the ringing of bells, signals that a new pope has been elected. The elected cardinal is then asked if he accepts the role. Upon acceptance, he immediately becomes pope and selects a papal name. When can we expect to see a Conclave smoke signal? Cardinals do not have to vote on Wednesday but they can. A possible time for first smoke on Thursday would be after 10:30 a.m., if it is white smoke (meaning a new pope has been elected) and after 12 p.m. if no pope is elected, Director of the Holy See Press Office Matteo Bruni told Vatican News. In the event of an inconclusive vote, Cardinals would return to Santa Marta for lunch at 12:30 p.m. and then back to the Apostolic Palace at 3:45 p.m. to resume voting in the Sistine Chapel at 4:30 p.m. If a pope is elected in an afternoon vote, white smoke can be expected after 5:30 p.m., or if a pope is not elected, black smoke should appear at around 7 p.m. Why It Matters This conclave not only sets a record in participation but also comes at a moment of division within the Church. The cardinals are split between supporters of Pope Francis' reforms and traditionalists who have been vocal about reversing his policies. The next pope will shape the spiritual direction and administrative governance of the Catholic Church, the largest in the world, during a critical moment of transformation. As the first conclave of the post-Francis era, it will determine whether the Church continues down the reformist path he charted or shifts toward a more traditional model of leadership. What Happens Next If no pope is elected within three days, the cardinals will take a day of reflection before resuming the process. While a pope can theoretically be elected in the first round, this has not occurred in centuries. Modern conclaves often last between one and five days, depending on how quickly consensus can be reached. The most recent, in 2013, elected Francis on the second day. Related Articles 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC. This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 7:24 AM.
Newsweek
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
New Pope Update: Cardinals to Begin Largest Ever Conclave
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In a historic moment for the Catholic Church, 133 cardinal electors have launched the largest conclave in modern times to select the next pope. The world is waiting to see who will replace Pope Francis after the gathering, which reflects his expansive, international appointments to the College of Cardinals, making it markedly more diverse and less Eurocentric than past conclaves. What Time Does the Conclave Begin? The Wednesday ceremonies began with mass at St. Peter's Basilica at 10 a.m. local time. It was conducted by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who also led Pope Francis' funeral service. At around 4:15 p.m., the cardinals will gather in the Pauline Chapel to form a procession to the Sistine Chapel while singing the hymn Veni Creator, an invocation to the Holy Spirit. The conclave will officially begin when all nonessential personnel are ordered to leave the chapel following the pronouncement of "extra omnes" ("everyone out") by the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Diego Ravelli. From that point, cardinals are isolated from the outside world, with no phones or TVs, until a pope is selected, with Swiss Guards stationed at every entrance of the Sistine Chapel. What Happens in the Conclave? Voting takes place twice each morning and twice each afternoon. Ballots are distributed by Vatican officials and collected in strict secrecy. A two-thirds majority is required to elect a new pope. If no one secures that on the first ballot, the cardinals return to their guesthouse, Casa Santa Marta, for dinner and informal discussions before voting resumes the next day. Daily routines continue, with meals and prayers structured between voting sessions. Notably, kitchen staff and waiters are also sworn to secrecy and confined to Vatican grounds for the duration of the conclave. After each round of voting, ballots are burned. If no pope is selected, chemicals produce black smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney. White smoke, accompanied by the ringing of bells, signals that a new pope has been elected. The elected cardinal is then asked if he accepts the role. Upon acceptance, he immediately becomes pope and selects a papal name. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa arrives in the New Hall of the Synod at the Vatican, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, the last time before the start of the conclave starting in the afternoon of Wenesday, May 7,... Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa arrives in the New Hall of the Synod at the Vatican, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, the last time before the start of the conclave starting in the afternoon of Wenesday, May 7, when they will elect the successor of Pope Francis. More AP When can we expect to see a Conclave smoke signal? Cardinals do not have to vote on Wednesday but they can. A possible time for first smoke on Thursday would be after 10:30 a.m., if it is white smoke (meaning a new pope has been elected) and after 12 p.m. if no pope is elected, Director of the Holy See Press Office Matteo Bruni told Vatican News. In the event of an inconclusive vote, Cardinals would return to Santa Marta for lunch at 12:30 p.m. and then back to the Apostolic Palace at 3:45 p.m. to resume voting in the Sistine Chapel at 4:30 p.m. If a pope is elected in an afternoon vote, white smoke can be expected after 5:30 p.m., or if a pope is not elected, black smoke should appear at around 7 p.m. Why It Matters This conclave not only sets a record in participation but also comes at a moment of division within the Church. The cardinals are split between supporters of Pope Francis' reforms and traditionalists who have been vocal about reversing his policies. The next pope will shape the spiritual direction and administrative governance of the Catholic Church, the largest in the world, during a critical moment of transformation. As the first conclave of the post-Francis era, it will determine whether the Church continues down the reformist path he charted or shifts toward a more traditional model of leadership. What Happens Next If no pope is elected within three days, the cardinals will take a day of reflection before resuming the process. While a pope can theoretically be elected in the first round, this has not occurred in centuries. Modern conclaves often last between one and five days, depending on how quickly consensus can be reached. The most recent, in 2013, elected Francis on the second day.
