When a pope passes away or resigns, the ancient and solemn process of selecting a new one begins, and it dates back to the 12th century in the Catholic Church. The period where a successor has not been elected is referred to as “sede vacante,” meaning “the seat being vacant.” Following the unfortunate death of Pope Francis, the Catholic Church finds itself back in this period, preparing for the election. Krishaa Seth (10) says, “Choosing a new pope is a traditional process that requires a lot of responsibility.” There are a lot of steps that must take place before the actual voting begins. The governance of the Church is temporarily passed to the College of Cardinals, which is responsible for choosing the next pope. This selection is known as the papal conclave, where all the cardinals participate in a secretive and ritualized gathering to elect a new pope.
Before the conclave begins, cardinals will partake in a series of meetings called general congregations to discuss the Church’s needs and prepare themselves for the election. Cardinals are senior members of the clergy of the Catholic Church and are personally appointed by the pope. They can be distinguished by their red robes and hats. Following these meetings, the cardinals will meet for a Novemdiales Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, summoning the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
After Mass, cardinals under the age of 80 will meet in the Sistine Chapel, located in Vatican City. They take an absolute oath of secrecy and then are locked behind the doors with no communication devices or outside sources. The voting takes place through a special ballot where the cardinals write their chosen candidate’s name and place it in a chalice at the altar. Every day, four rounds of balloting will take place until a single candidate receives two-thirds of the votes. When no candidate receives the two-thirds majority, the ballots are mixed with chemicals to create a black smoke. This black smoke notifies the public that a decision has not been made.
When a candidate finally reaches the necessary two-thirds vote, the chosen cardinal is asked if he accepts the position. If he accepts, he will be adorned in papal vestments while choosing a papal name. The ballots from the final round are then burned to produce white smoke, signifying that a new pope has been chosen. The senior cardinal deacon announces from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, “Habemus Papam” (“We have a pope”). The new pope enters and delivers his first blessing to the world, known as “Urbi et Orbi” (“to the city and the world”). As of now, the death of Pope Francis means the world is waiting and watching to see what unfolds. A YLHS Catholic student, Peyton Rodriguez (10), mentions how “this election marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Catholic Church.”
