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Fox News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
College of Cardinals meet Wednesday, could elect a new pope within hours, days
The upcoming papal conclave has experts engaged in fervent discussion about the Catholic church's sacred voting process will unfold While some Vatican watchers suggest we could see a longer than usual conclave, others have signaled they think it will be short, like it has been during the last handful of times. 'Maximum three days,' predicted Salvadoran Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez. However, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne, Germany, said he expects the conclave 'won't go as quickly as the last conclave.' The the diversity of this year's conclave has also commanded attention, as well as the fact that many cardinals are unfamiliar with each other, which could lead to a lengthier vote than during recent conclaves of the past. The vast majority of the 133 cardinal-electors will be participating in a conclave for the first time, according to Reuters, which noted around 80% of the participants were appointed by Pope Francis. Meanwhile, per the Religion News Service, this conclave's College of Cardinals is the most geographically diverse in centuries. 'I wouldn't panic if we don't have a pope by the end of day two, but if there still isn't any white smoke by the end of the third day, then we start to get worried,' said Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest and Vatican commentator.
New York Post
06-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Inside cloak-and-dagger conclave to pick next pope — and the bizarre rituals that fuel it
The largest and most geographically diverse papal conclave in history is set to commence May 7 in Rome, where cardinals will begin the secretive voting process to select the next man who will lead the Roman Catholic church. At least 133 cardinals will be casting their ballots starting at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Sistine Chapel, where the chimney that will carry white smoke announcing to the world that a new pope has been chosen has already been installed. A two-thirds majority vote for a new pope is required before a successor to Pope Francis can be named. Francis, 88, died of a stroke and heart failure April 21. 8 The Sistine Chapel prepared for the conclave to elect the new pope. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS While it's uncertain how many days the cloak-and-dagger voting process will last, it won't be too long if recent history is any indicator — the past 10 conclaves averaged just 3.2 days, with none taking more than five. Salvadoran Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez predicted this week that the conclave to elect the 267th pope will last a 'maximum [of] three days.' What happens during the conclave? On May 7, the cardinals will meet inside the historic chapel to vote between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. in near total silence. No discussion or politicking is held within the Sistine Chapel, only outside after the day's voting has concluded. To help maintain secrecy, the chapel is swept for electronic bugging devices daily before voting commences. Some cardinals ensure their choice remains secretive by obscuring their handwriting before folding up their paper ballot to just an inch wide. Ballots are then placed in a lidded bronze and silver urn and mixed up before being tallied one by one. 8 The 'Room of Tears' next to the Sistine Chapel with the vestments of the next pope. VATICAN MEDIA/AFP via Getty Images Everyone at the Vatican — from cooks to translators to elevator operators — took an oath of secrecy Monday to prepare for the conclave, under threat of automatic excommunication if they squawk about any of the process. If a new pope isn't chosen the first day, on day two, the cardinals meet for a Mass at 8:15 a.m. in the Pauline Chapel, or Papal Chapel, followed by a mid-morning prayer at 9:30 a.m. before returning to the Sistine Chapel. If no winner emerges after that, they take a break at 12:30 p.m. and return to vote again starting at 4:50 p.m. until about 7:30 p.m. 8 Tailor Raniero Mancinelli holding up the sash that will be worn by the next pope at his shop in Rome. Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images/Shutterstock White smoke or black? After each vote, if no candidate for pope reaches the two-thirds majority threshold, the ballots are burned with a chemical agent that produces black smoke, which wafts up through the Sistine Chapel chimney to signal no choice has been made. When a new pope is chosen, ballots, emblazoned with the Latin words 'Eligo in Summum Pontificem' — meaning 'I choose as Supreme Pontiff,' are burned with a different additive that creates white smoke. 8 Firefighters installing a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel on May 2, 2025. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS 8 Workers preparing the chimney inside the Sistine Chapel ahead of the Conclave. If the cardinals fail to reach a consensus after three days, electors can stop the voting for no more than one day for additional discussion and prayer. Who will be the next pope? The big question on everybody's minds is who will be chosen as the successor to Pope Francis, and speculation is rampant — including with the betting markets, where people are already laying down cash on their predictions. 8 Cardinal Pietro Parolin is considered a top candidate to become the next pope. Marco Iacobucci/IPA via ZUMA Press Vatican Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, 70, an Italian who oversees the conclave, has emerged as the 15-8 favorite to become the next pontiff — slightly better than 2-to-1 odds — according to the latest report by OLBG. Another cardinal considered a leading contender to assume the miter is Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, 67, of the Philippines, often called the 'Asian Francis' for his liberal leanings. If elected, he would be the first Asian pope. OLBG places him as the second most likely next pope, with 5-2 odds. Other names in the mix include Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, 65, archbishop of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo; Bishop Anders Arborelius, 75, of Stockholm, who is Sweden's first-ever Catholic cardinal, and Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, 66, from Marseille, France. 8 Cardinal Luis Tagle of the Philippines is considered another potential pope. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez An international affair Pope Francis made history as the first-ever pontiff from the Americas, and the cardinals voting to name his successor hail from 71 countries, making it the most geographically diverse conclave in history. The countries with the most electors are: Italy (17), United States (10), Brazil (7), France and Spain (5), Argentina, Canada, India, Poland and Portugal (4). 8 At least 133 Cardinals will begin voting in the conclave on May 7. VATICAN MEDIA/AFP via Getty Images By continent, the elector breakdown is as follows: Europe (53, though one cardinal from Spain said he is not participating because of health issues, so the final number may in fact be 52). Asia (52, including the Middle East). Africa (18, another elector skipping the conclave because of health issues is from Kenya, so the number of Africans will likely be 17). South America (17), North America (16, 10 American, 4 Canadian, 2 Mexican); Central America (4). Oceania (4, one each from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga).
AsiaOne
02-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Cardinals hope for speedy conclave to pick new pope, under Michelangelo's gaze, World News
VATICAN CITY - If Roman Catholic cardinals have not picked a new pope by day three of next week's conclave, then things are not going to plan. Short conclaves wrapped up in a couple of days project an image of unity, and the last thing the red-robed cardinals will want is to give the impression that they are divided and the Church adrift after the death of Pope Francis last month. "Maximum three days," Salvadoran Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez confidently predicted this week ahead of the secret ballot, which will begin in the Sistine Chapel on May 7. The average length of the last 10 conclaves was 3.2 days and none went on for more than five. The last two elections -- in 2005 when Pope Benedict was picked and in 2013 when Francis emerged -- were wrapped up in just two days. The conclave takes place over as many rounds of voting as needed until one candidate gets a two-thirds majority, triggering the billowing white smoke that tells the waiting world a new papacy has begun. "Clearly the more ballots you have, the more difficult things have become. But the signs are that they want to proceed quickly," said Giovanni Vian, a professor of Christian history at Venice's Ca' Foscari University. Some of the 133 cardinals expected to enter the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday have been "papabile" - a possible pope - for years. Others will rise to the fore only during the current daily meetings, known as general congregations, where cardinals discuss the Church's future. When Francis died, most Vatican observers saw Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and the Filipino prelate Luis Antonio Tagle as the obvious frontrunners, with a multitude of other possible candidates following in their wake. Serious choices The initial vote, on the afternoon the conclave begins, often serves as an informal sounding board in which numerous names are widely dispersed. Some of these are symbolic votes, offered as gestures of respect or friendship before the serious balloting begins the next day, when the strength of the favourites can be gauged. From the second day, two votes are held in the morning and two in the afternoon. According to conclave regulations, if no-one has been chosen after the first three days, the cardinals should take a day-long "pause of prayer" before continuing. It will soon become clear if there is a viable frontrunner, or if a compromise candidate is needed. "If we don't get a new pope quickly it will show that the push for the frontrunners petered out very quickly," said Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest and Vatican commentator. "It will also reinforce the fact that there are a lot of cardinals in there and they just don't know each other very well," he added. Pope Francis appointed around 80 per cent of the cardinal electors, many of them in far-flung dioceses as he sought to strengthen the Church in areas where it previously had limited reach. This means it will be the first conclave for a vast majority of participants and also that many of those sitting beneath Michelangelo's famed frescos will have had little opportunity to get to know one another beforehand. That could create space for so-called "grand electors", who have emerged discreetly in previous years to promote candidates at the pre-conclave meetings and then help shape opinions as the contours of the vote come into focus. Sworn to secrecy All cardinals would deny campaigning for an election they believe is guided by the Holy Spirit. But while no discussion is permitted during the voting sessions themselves, cardinals are free to exchange views over meals at Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where most will be staying. Successful electors can identify a compromise candidate able to pick up votes from all sides, said the historian Vian. [[nid:717611]] When cardinals met for their second conclave of 1978 after the sudden death of Pope John Paul I, Vienna's Franz Koenig rallied German-speaking cardinals, and Polish-American John Krol the US prelates, to support the little known Pole Karol Wojtyla, who became Pope John Paul II within three days. With the focus seemingly on doctrinal disputes ahead of the coming conclave, Germany's Gerhard Mueller has been giving daily newspaper interviews rallying traditionalist ranks, while numerous voices, including Canadian Michael Czerny, have been pushing for Francis' moderate vision to prevail. Cardinals are sworn to secrecy about how votes progress, but detailed accounts often surface in the aftermath. In his 2019 book "The Election of Pope Francis", Gerard O'Connell reported how Jorge Mario Bergoglio, an Argentine cardinal who had not been flagged as a "papabile", grabbed attention thanks to a powerful speech to his peers heading into the 2013 conclave. O'Connell said 23 cardinals received at least one vote in the first vote, with Bergoglio coming second. He edged ahead in the second vote and pulled further clear in the third, to the chagrin of supporters of the Italian favourite, Angelo Scola. In an apparent effort to derail Bergoglio, a rumour spread at lunchtime on the second day that he only had one lung and might not be physically fit to run the Church. He let it be known that only a small part of one lung had been removed and by the fifth vote that same afternoon he was pope. In 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was the clear favourite going into the Sistine Chapel and led from the first vote. He won handsomely by the fourth ballot to become Benedict XVI. Even if it is impossible to say how things will go this time around, cardinals hope for a similar, smooth outcome. "I wouldn't panic if we don't have a pope by the end of day two, but if there still isn't any white smoke by the end of the third day, then we start to get worried," said Reese.
The Star
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Cardinals hope for speedy conclave to pick new pope, under Michelangelo's gaze
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - If Roman Catholic cardinals have not picked a new pope by day three of next week's conclave, then things are not going to plan. Short conclaves wrapped up in a couple of days project an image of unity, and the last thing the red-robed cardinals will want is to give the impression that they are divided and the Church adrift after the death of Pope Francis last month. "Maximum three days," Salvadoran Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez confidently predicted this week ahead of the secret ballot, which will begin in the Sistine Chapel on May 7. The average length of the last 10 conclaves was 3.2 days and none went on for more than five. The last two elections -- in 2005 when Pope Benedict was picked and in 2013 when Francis emerged -- were wrapped up in just two days. The conclave takes place over as many rounds of voting as needed until one candidate gets a two-thirds majority, triggering the billowing white smoke that tells the waiting world a new papacy has begun. "Clearly the more ballots you have, the more difficult things have become. But the signs are that they want to proceed quickly," said Giovanni Vian, a professor of Christian history at Venice's Ca' Foscari University. Some of the 133 cardinals expected to enter the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday have been "papabile" - a possible pope - for years. Others will rise to the fore only during the current daily meetings, known as general congregations, where cardinals discuss the Church's future. When Francis died, most Vatican observers saw Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and the Filipino prelate Luis Antonio Tagle as the obvious frontrunners, with a multitude of other possible candidates following in their wake. SERIOUS CHOICES The initial vote, on the afternoon the conclave begins, often serves as an informal sounding board in which numerous names are widely dispersed. Some of these are symbolic votes, offered as gestures of respect or friendship before the serious balloting begins the next day, when the strength of the favourites can be gauged. From the second day, two votes are held in the morning and two in the afternoon. According to conclave regulations, if no-one has been chosen after the first three days, the cardinals should take a day-long "pause of prayer" before continuing. It will soon become clear if there is a viable frontrunner, or if a compromise candidate is needed. "If we don't get a new pope quickly it will show that the push for the frontrunners petered out very quickly," said Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest and Vatican commentator. "It will also reinforce the fact that there are a lot of cardinals in there and they just don't know each other very well," he added. Pope Francis appointed around 80% of the cardinal electors, many of them in far-flung dioceses as he sought to strengthen the Church in areas where it previously had limited reach. This means it will be the first conclave for a vast majority of participants and also that many of those sitting beneath Michelangelo's famed frescos will have had little opportunity to get to know one another beforehand. That could create space for so-called "grand electors", who have emerged discreetly in previous years to promote candidates at the pre-conclave meetings and then help shape opinions as the contours of the vote come into focus. SWORN TO SECRECY All cardinals would deny campaigning for an election they believe is guided by the Holy Spirit. But while no discussion is permitted during the voting sessions themselves, cardinals are free to exchange views over meals at Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where most will be staying. Successful electors can identify a compromise candidate able to pick up votes from all sides, said the historian Vian. When cardinals met for their second conclave of 1978 after the sudden death of Pope John Paul I, Vienna's Franz Koenig rallied German-speaking cardinals, and Polish-American John Krol the U.S. prelates, to support the little known Pole Karol Wojtyla, who became Pope John Paul II within three days. With the focus seemingly on doctrinal disputes ahead of the coming conclave, Germany's Gerhard Mueller has been giving daily newspaper interviews rallying traditionalist ranks, while numerous voices, including Canadian Michael Czerny, have been pushing for Francis' moderate vision to prevail. Cardinals are sworn to secrecy about how votes progress, but detailed accounts often surface in the aftermath. In his 2019 book "The Election of Pope Francis", Gerard O'Connell reported how Jorge Mario Bergoglio, an Argentine cardinal who had not been flagged as a "papabile", grabbed attention thanks to a powerful speech to his peers heading into the 2013 conclave. O'Connell said 23 cardinals received at least one vote in the first vote, with Bergoglio coming second. He edged ahead in the second vote and pulled further clear in the third, to the chagrin of supporters of the Italian favourite, Angelo Scola. In an apparent effort to derail Bergoglio, a rumour spread at lunchtime on the second day that he only had one lung and might not be physically fit to run the Church. He let it be known that only a small part of one lung had been removed and by the fifth vote that same afternoon he was pope. In 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was the clear favourite going into the Sistine Chapel and led from the first vote. He won handsomely by the fourth ballot to become Benedict XVI. Even if it is impossible to say how things will go this time around, cardinals hope for a similar, smooth outcome. "I wouldn't panic if we don't have a pope by the end of day two, but if there still isn't any white smoke by the end of the third day, then we start to get worried," said Reese. (Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Frances Kerry)
Reuters
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Cardinals hope for speedy conclave to pick new pope, under Michelangelo's gaze
Summary The last two conclaves concluded in just two days A swift decision signals unity, delays suggest discord Cardinals vote once on day one, four times daily thereafter Senior figures will look to steer process if conclave deadlocks VATICAN CITY, May 2 (Reuters) - If Roman Catholic cardinals have not picked a new pope by day three of next week's conclave, then things are not going to plan. Short conclaves wrapped up in a couple of days project an image of unity, and the last thing the red-robed cardinals will want is to give the impression that they are divided and the Church adrift after the death of Pope Francis last month. "Maximum three days," Salvadoran Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez confidently predicted this week ahead of the secret ballot, which will begin in the Sistine Chapel on May 7. The average length of the last 10 conclaves was 3.2 days and none went on for more than five. The last two elections -- in 2005 when Pope Benedict was picked and in 2013 when Francis emerged -- were wrapped up in just two days. The conclave takes place over as many rounds of voting as needed until one candidate gets a two-thirds majority, triggering the billowing white smoke that tells the waiting world a new papacy has begun. "Clearly the more ballots you have, the more difficult things have become. But the signs are that they want to proceed quickly," said Giovanni Vian, a professor of Christian history at Venice's Ca' Foscari University. Some of the 133 cardinals expected to enter the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday have been "papabile" - a possible pope - for years. Others will rise to the fore only during the current daily meetings, known as general congregations, where cardinals discuss the Church's future. When Francis died, most Vatican observers saw Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and the Filipino prelate Luis Antonio Tagle as the obvious frontrunners, with a multitude of other possible candidates following in their wake. SERIOUS CHOICES The initial vote, on the afternoon the conclave begins, often serves as an informal sounding board in which numerous names are widely dispersed. Some of these are symbolic votes, offered as gestures of respect or friendship before the serious balloting begins the next day, when the strength of the favourites can be gauged. From the second day, two votes are held in the morning and two in the afternoon. According to conclave regulations, if no-one has been chosen after the first three days, the cardinals should take a day-long "pause of prayer" before continuing. It will soon become clear if there is a viable frontrunner, or if a compromise candidate is needed. "If we don't get a new pope quickly it will show that the push for the frontrunners petered out very quickly," said Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest and Vatican commentator. "It will also reinforce the fact that there are a lot of cardinals in there and they just don't know each other very well," he added. Pope Francis appointed around 80% of the cardinal electors, many of them in far-flung dioceses as he sought to strengthen the Church in areas where it previously had limited reach. This means it will be the first conclave for a vast majority of participants and also that many of those sitting beneath Michelangelo's famed frescos will have had little opportunity to get to know one another beforehand. That could create space for so-called "grand electors", who have emerged discreetly in previous years to promote candidates at the pre-conclave meetings and then help shape opinions as the contours of the vote come into focus. SWORN TO SECRECY All cardinals would deny campaigning for an election they believe is guided by the Holy Spirit. But while no discussion is permitted during the voting sessions themselves, cardinals are free to exchange views over meals at Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where most will be staying. Successful electors can identify a compromise candidate able to pick up votes from all sides, said the historian Vian. When cardinals met for their second conclave of 1978 after the sudden death of Pope John Paul I, Vienna's Franz Koenig rallied German-speaking cardinals, and Polish-American John Krol the U.S. prelates, to support the little known Pole Karol Wojtyla, who became Pope John Paul II within three days. With the focus seemingly on doctrinal disputes ahead of the coming conclave, Germany's Gerhard Mueller has been giving daily newspaper interviews rallying traditionalist ranks, while numerous voices, including Canadian Michael Czerny, have been pushing for Francis' moderate vision to prevail. Cardinals are sworn to secrecy about how votes progress, but detailed accounts often surface in the aftermath. In his 2019 book "The Election of Pope Francis", Gerard O'Connell reported how Jorge Mario Bergoglio, an Argentine cardinal who had not been flagged as a "papabile", grabbed attention thanks to a powerful speech to his peers heading into the 2013 conclave. O'Connell said 23 cardinals received at least one vote in the first vote, with Bergoglio coming second. He edged ahead in the second vote and pulled further clear in the third, to the chagrin of supporters of the Italian favourite, Angelo Scola. In an apparent effort to derail Bergoglio, a rumour spread at lunchtime on the second day that he only had one lung and might not be physically fit to run the Church. He let it be known that only a small part of one lung had been removed and by the fifth vote that same afternoon he was pope. In 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was the clear favourite going into the Sistine Chapel and led from the first vote. He won handsomely by the fourth ballot to become Benedict XVI. Even if it is impossible to say how things will go this time around, cardinals hope for a similar, smooth outcome. "I wouldn't panic if we don't have a pope by the end of day two, but if there still isn't any white smoke by the end of the third day, then we start to get worried," said Reese.
