When the papal seat becomes vacant, the world turns its attention to the Vatican, where a centuries-old process unfolds to elect the new Bishop of Rome. This journey, rich in tradition and solemnity, begins as cardinals from around the globe converge on Rome, culminating in the iconic white smoke signaling the election of a new pope.
Following the vacancy of the papal seat, the College of Cardinals is summoned to Rome. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the conclave, ensuring a body of electors attuned to the current needs of the Church.
Historically, travel posed significant challenges. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, cardinals from distant regions often missed the conclave due to lengthy journeys. For instance, in the 1878 conclave, Cardinal John McCloskey of New York arrived too late to participate. Recognizing this issue, Pope Pius XI, after his election in 1922, extended the time between a pope’s death and the start of the conclave to allow distant cardinals to arrive in time.
Before the conclave even begins, the cardinal electors participate in a series of essential preparatory meetings known as the General Congregations. These sessions, typically held in the Vatican’s Synod Hall, start soon after the College of Cardinals gathers in Rome and continue up until the day the conclave begins.
All cardinals — not just those eligible to vote — are invited to attend. These meetings serve multiple purposes, both spiritual and practical. They’re where the Church takes a collective breath and surveys the global landscape: its challenges, needs, hopes, and wounds. It’s also the only real opportunity for cardinals from across continents to hear from one another before entering the silence of the conclave.
During General Congregations:
• The cardinals share reports about the Church in their regions.
• They reflect on what kind of leader is needed for the times.
• They listen more than they speak, looking for wisdom and signs of the Spirit.
• They begin forming informal impressions about potential candidates — who demonstrates humility, depth, experience, and a pastoral heart?
These gatherings are not campaign events. In fact, any form of lobbying is forbidden. Instead, cardinals are encouraged to focus on the universal needs of the Church and the profile of the man best suited to address them. Pope Francis, in his own General Congregation speech before being elected, gave a simple but stirring reflection on the Church going out to the peripheries — a phrase that resonated and helped shape his election.
Practical matters are also handled in these meetings:
• They determine the start date of the conclave.
• They review conclave logistics and security.
• They randomly select three cardinals to serve as Scrutineers for the vote-counting process.
In a very real sense, the election of a new pope begins here — not with ballots, but with open hearts, prayerful listening, and shared responsibility for the future of the Catholic Church.
The papal conclave begins with a profound sense of reverence and spiritual gravity. Before a single vote is cast, the cardinal electors gather for the Mass “Pro Eligendo Pontifice” — the “Mass for the Election of a Pope” — celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica. Open to the public and streamed around the world, this Mass is a solemn call to prayer, invoking the Holy Spirit to guide the Church in choosing its next shepherd.
Afterward, the cardinals walk in silent procession into the Sistine Chapel, dressed in scarlet choir robes and surrounded by the frescoed saints and angels of Michelangelo’s masterpieces. This sacred space becomes their home for the duration of the conclave — not just a voting room, but a place of intense prayer and spiritual discernment.
Once inside, the moment comes that officially begins the conclave:
“Extra omnes!”
Latin for “Everyone out!” — this command is spoken by the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations, signaling all non-electors, aides, and media to leave the chapel. The doors are then physically locked, symbolizing the cardinals’ complete withdrawal from the outside world.
To protect the sanctity and security of the process, the Vatican enforces strict anti-surveillance measures:
• The Sistine Chapel is swept for electronic devices before each conclave.
• Special radio-jamming technology is installed to block all digital signals.
• The cardinals are forbidden from bringing in cell phones, smartwatches, or any communication devices.
Outside the chapel, the electors are housed in Domus Sanctae Marthae, a Vatican guesthouse established by Pope John Paul II in 1996 to replace the previous practice of makeshift sleeping quarters. While the rooms are private and modestly comfortable, the cardinals are completely cut off from the world — no internet, TV, newspapers, or contact with family.
This radical disconnection is intentional. The Church wants her leaders to be free of pressure, politics, and public opinion — focused solely on listening to the Holy Spirit and one another. It’s one of the most sacred, secretive decision-making spaces in the world — and it begins with silence.
Each day inside the conclave, the cardinal electors can hold up to four voting sessions — two in the morning, two in the afternoon — until a new pope is chosen. To be valid, a pope must receive a two-thirds majority of the votes. So if there are 120 electors, at least 80 votes are required.
Here’s how the process unfolds, in extraordinary detail.
Each cardinal receives a paper ballot, rectangular in shape, bearing the Latin phrase:
“Eligo in Summum Pontificem” (“I elect as Supreme Pontiff”).
Below that line, the cardinal carefully writes the name of the man he believes the Holy Spirit is calling to be pope. No campaign slogans. No speeches. Just a name — written in a disguised hand to avoid identification.
This is a sacred act of conscience, and it takes place in silence.
After all electors have filled out their ballots, the voting begins. In strict order of precedence, each cardinal walks to the front of the Sistine Chapel, holding his folded ballot above his head.
He approaches a large chalice-shaped urn placed on the altar beneath Michelangelo’s fresco of the Last Judgment.
There, he says aloud:
“Testor Christum Dominum, qui me iudicaturus est, me eligere in Summum Pontificem eum, quem secundum Deum iudico eligi debere.”
(“I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one I believe should be elected according to God.”)
He then places the ballot on a small plate and slides it into the urn.
This act combines solemnity, ritual, and accountability before God. It’s not just a vote — it’s a personal testimony of discernment.
Once all ballots are cast, three cardinals known as the Scrutineers — chosen by lot earlier — take over.
• One scrutineer shakes the urn and counts the total number of ballots aloud. If the count doesn’t match the number of electors, the ballots are burned and the vote is redone.
• Then, one scrutineer opens each ballot and reads the name written on it — aloud, and clearly, for all to hear.
• A second scrutineer verifies the name.
• A third records it on an official tally sheet.
To maintain accuracy and avoid tampering, each vote is pierced with a needle and strung on a thread — literally sewing the ballots together. This ensures no ballot is lost or replaced.
When the counting is complete, the totals are verified. If no one has received the required two-thirds, the ballots are prepared for burning.
All ballots — along with any draft ballots or notes — are burned in a special stove inside the Sistine Chapel. Since the 2005 conclave, a secondary stove has been used to add chemical cartridges that produce distinctly colored smoke.
• Black smoke (fumata nera) means no one has been elected.
• White smoke (fumata bianca) signals a successful election — a new pope has been chosen.
In the past, smoke colors were sometimes hard to distinguish, causing global confusion (especially in 1958 and 1978). Pope Benedict XVI’s reforms ensured clear, unmistakable signals.
This deeply choreographed process reflects the Church’s commitment to unity, discernment, and divine guidance. Every movement, every word, every silence — it all points to something bigger: a Church waiting in faith for the successor of Peter.
Acceptance and Announcement
Once a candidate receives the necessary votes, he is asked if he accepts the election. Upon acceptance, he chooses a papal name and is vested in the appropriate garments, prepared in various sizes to accommodate any cardinal.
The new pope then appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, where the senior cardinal deacon announces:
“Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam!”
“I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope!”
The pope then imparts his first apostolic blessing, Urbi et Orbi (“to the city and to the world”), marking the beginning of his pontificate.
While the world watches for smoke, the Church listens for the Spirit. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, far from the noise of headlines and speculation, cardinals enter into one of the most prayerful and consequential decisions of their lives. This is not politics. It’s not strategy. It’s a sacred moment — one rooted in tradition, fueled by faith, and guided by grace. And when the white smoke finally rises, it’s more than just a signal. It’s a sign that the Chair of Peter will not remain empty — that Christ is still building His Church, one pope at a time.
