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The Vatican’s announcement of Pope Francis’s death at age 88 on Easter Monday marks the beginning of the process to select a new leader for the Roman Catholic Church.
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Pope Francis, born Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected in March 2013 after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. With his passing, responsibility for the Church’s leadership temporarily shifts to the College of Cardinals.
These cardinals, who are high-ranking bishops and Vatican officials appointed by the pope, come from all over the world and are easily recognized by their red robes.
Once the papacy becomes vacant, the cardinals convene a series of meetings at the Vatican called general congregations. These sessions help them prepare for the conclave—the official election process. During this period, actions that require the pope’s authority, like appointing bishops or organizing synods, are put on hold.
Traditionally, the cardinals also arrange the pope’s funeral and burial during this time.
Roughly 15 to 20 days after the seat becomes vacant, the cardinal electors—those under the age of 80—gather at St. Peter’s Basilica for a special Mass asking for divine guidance. They then proceed to the Sistine Chapel for the conclave.
Inside the chapel, the cardinal electors take a solemn oath of secrecy before the doors are sealed. Voting is done in secret: each cardinal approaches Michelangelo’s famous Last Judgment fresco, says a prayer, and places a folded ballot into a chalice.
Up to four votes are held daily until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority. Votes are counted and documented by three designated cardinals. If no pope is chosen, the ballots are burned with chemicals to produce black smoke, signaling the failed vote.
Once a cardinal secures the required majority, he is asked if he accepts the role. Upon acceptance, he selects a papal name and is dressed in papal garments. The final ballots are then burned with different chemicals, producing white smoke to announce the election of the new pope.
The senior cardinal deacon—currently French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti—then steps onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and proclaims “Habemus Papam” (“We have a pope”). The newly elected pope then appears to deliver his first blessing to the people of Rome and the world.
