‘Conclave’ comes to life as Vatican sets date for new Pope election, black and white smoke to fill the skies

The Vatican has officially announced that the conclave to choose the next Pope after Pope Francis will begin on May 7, 2025. This important event happened sixteen days after the death of the 266th pope and was a major moment for the Catholic Church, which has around 1.4 billion followers worldwide.

As reported by NY Times and USA Today, and During the conclave, the cardinals will stay at Casa Santa Marta, a modern guesthouse built under the direction of Pope John Paul II, replacing the simpler living arrangements used in the past. This setup keeps the cardinals isolated as required while also giving them a comfortable place to stay during the process.

Once a new pope is chosen, the announcement will be made from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. This event is expected to bring thousands of believers and spectators to St. Peter’s Square. This public announcement, filled with deep tradition and meaning, will mark the end of the conclave.

The next Pope will be chosen soon

Looking at recent papal elections can give some idea of how long this conclave might last. The 2013 conclave, which led to the election of Pope Francis, took just over a day, which was relatively quick compared to some past elections.

Throughout history, conclaves have varied greatly in length, with some lasting several days and, in rare cases, even years. For example, the election of Pope Gregory X in the 13th century took a very long time because the cardinals could not agree. This delay led to several deaths among the voting cardinals before a decision was finally made, which later caused changes in the rules to make future conclaves faster.

The process of selecting the new Pope, which is full of traditions that go back hundreds of years, will take place inside the famous Sistine Chapel. The word “conclave” comes from the Latin phrase “cum clave,” meaning “with key,” and refers to the complete isolation of the cardinals who are part of the election.

This tradition was created to protect the cardinals from outside pressure, ensuring secrecy and allowing them to make a fair decision when choosing the next Pope. According to The Vatican, only cardinals who are under 80 years old can take part in the voting. Out of the 252 cardinals currently in the College of Cardinals, about 130 will be eligible to vote, with most of them having been appointed by the late Pope Francis.

The election process itself is complicated. The cardinals will meet every day inside the Sistine Chapel to vote in secret. To elect a new pope, a two-thirds majority is needed. There are expected to be multiple voting rounds, with each ballot carefully checked. The results of each vote will be shared with the outside world through the famous chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel.

If black smoke comes out, it means no agreement has been reached, and the wait continues. But if white smoke appears, it will be a historic moment, signaling that the next leader of the Catholic Church has been chosen.