The conclave to elect the next pope will begin on May 7. The Vatican has confirmed that 133 cardinals will participate in the conclave to elect a new pope. The conclave will begin at 4:30 p.m. on May 7. The pontiff is expected to take charge in the third week of May. Here’s a brief that elaborates on how the next pontiff is elected.
Who All Will Vote?
According to the Vatican, of the 135 eligible voters, Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu and Spanish Cardinal Antonio Canizare Lovera will not participate for health reasons. Cardinal Lovera had previously announced that he would not participate. However, the meeting of cardinals decided yesterday that Cardinal Becciu will not enter the conclave after being sentenced to 5-1/2 years in jail by a Vatican court in 2023 for embezzlement and fraud.
Cardinal Becciu wrote that he did not want to participate. Cardinal Becciu said in a statement that he wanted to obey Pope Francis even though he was convinced of his innocence and therefore would not enter the conclave. Bechu also attended the meeting of cardinals yesterday. A total of 183 cardinals, including 124 with voting rights, attended Wednesday’s meeting. Of all the current cardinal electors, a large majority- 108- were appointed by Pope Francis during his 12-year papacy. They come from 71 different countries, including 10 from the United States.
The Papal Conclave
Under the church rules, the papal conclave must start 15 to 20 days after a pope’s death; Pope Francis died on April 21. The Vatican has now announced that the conclave will begin on Wednesday, May 7. Ahead of the conclave, on May 5, Vatican officials and employees who will assist and support the process, including other clergy, security personnel, drivers, cleaning crews, doctors and nurses, will take an oath of secrecy.
How Does The Papal Conclave Work?
The process of electing a new pope follows centuries-old traditions involving rituals and secrecy. On the first day of the conclave, cardinal electors isolate themselves from the outside world to begin choosing the next pope- typically from among themselves. After attending morning Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel in a solemn procession, and they begin voting once the chapel doors are sealed. In the past, the cardinals stayed inside the chapel throughout, but now they rest and dine at Santa Marta House until they elect a new pope.
How Will The Voting Be?
Choosing the new pope requires not just a majority, but a two-thirds-plus-one vote among the cardinal electors for a candidate to win. Before stepping down, Pope Benedict XVI made sure that a two-thirds majority would always be needed to elect a new pope, reinforcing the seriousness of the decision. Inside the conclave, every cardinal takes a solemn oath of secrecy- breaking it means automatic excommunication.
According to CBS News, when it’s time to vote, each cardinal carefully writes a name in disguised handwriting, walks to the altar in silence, and places the ballot onto a silver plate before gently tipping it into a ceremonial chalice. It’s a moment of quiet reverence, tradition, and immense responsibility.
Black Smoke Or White Smoke
Three designated cardinals, known as scrutineers, count the votes, carefully record each ballot, and move it to a second urn. For cardinals who are too unwell to join the others in the chapel, a third ornate urn carries their votes in, ensuring every voice is heard. After the first round of voting, the cardinals burn the ballots in a small oven inside the Sistine Chapel. From there, a plume of smoke rises into the Roman sky- black for no decision, white for a new pope. The world watches with bated breath as centuries of tradition play out, one vote at a time.
If that round of voting yields no winner, the smoke will be black — a sign to the world that the Holy See remains vacant.
The cardinals follow a steady rhythm during the conclave- two rounds of voting in the morning, and two more in the afternoon. Each time they fail to agree on a new pope, black smoke rises above the Sistine Chapel, signalling to the world that the wait continues. If no decision is reached after three days, the process pauses. The cardinals take a day to pray, reflect, and listen to a spiritual message from a senior member. Then, voting resumes, repeating for as long as it takes until they unite around one man to become the next pope.
