All you need to know about the conclave as date to elect Pope Francis' successor revealed
From secret ballots to smoke signals, here's how a new Pope is chosen
The Vatican has confirmed that the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis will begin on May 7, marking the start of one of the most solemn and secretive processes in the Catholic Church.
But how exactly is a new pope chosen, and what happens behind the closed doors of the Sistine Chapel?
What is a conclave?
The word “conclave” comes from the Latin cum clave, meaning “with key”, a reference to the total isolation cardinals enter while choosing a new pontiff.
Once the conclave begins, the cardinal electors are completely cut off from the outside world: no phones, internet, or media access is allowed.
The process takes place inside the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals cast their votes beneath Michelangelo’s famous fresco of the Last Judgment. They sleep in nearby accommodations inside Vatican City until a new pope is elected.
Who votes?
Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote, currently 135 of them. They come from all over the world and have been appointed by various popes.
How does voting work?
The cardinals vote by secret ballot. Each writes a name on a folded slip and walks up to the altar to deposit it. Four rounds of voting are held each day: two in the morning and two in the afternoon.
A candidate must secure a two-thirds majority to be elected pope. If no one receives enough votes, the ballots are burned with a chemical additive to produce black smoke, signalling to the crowds in St Peter’s Square that no decision has been reached.
When a pope is chosen
Once a cardinal receives the required number of votes, he is asked whether he accepts the position. If he agrees, he chooses a papal name and dons white vestments prepared in advance.
The ballots are then burned with a different additive to produce white smoke, announcing to the world that a new pope has been elected.
Soon after, the senior cardinal deacon appears on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to declare, “Habemus Papam,” meaning “We have a pope.” The new pontiff then steps out to deliver his first blessing as leader of the Catholic Church.