April 23 (UPI) — As Vatican officials prepare to lay Pope Francis to rest Saturday at St. Peter’s Basilica, members of the College of Cardinals are likely looking ahead to the possibly lengthy process to choose his successor.
A group of 120 cardinals, about half of the 250 total cardinals worldwide, are expected to convene to elect the new pontiff in about two weeks. The process, called a papal conclave, takes place behind closed doors in the Sistine Chapel near St. Peter’s Basilica.
For the most part, only the select cardinals are allowed to be present for the conclave, in addition to a few secretaries and other officials, and no one is allowed to have phones, televisions or newspapers. They’re not even allowed to pass messages from outside the chapel to avoid outside influence over the proceedings.
Since the public won’t be allowed to see what’s happening during this secretive process, let’s take a look at what’s expected to happen.
The current conclave process hasn’t always been in place. In early years, popes selected their own successors, or political leaders, such as Roman Emperor Constantine, oversaw the election.
Reforms in the 11th century saw the cardinals take over the pick, but the rules changed many times over the years — at one point, electors were locked in a room with no ceiling and only bread and water until they made a decision. The most recent change was in 2007, when Pope Benedict XVI restored a previous practice of requiring a two-thirds majority to elect a new pope.
The conclave typically begins 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death, with all 120 electing cardinals sequestered in dormitory-like apartments, a building called Domus Sanctae Marthae built by Pope John Paul II in 1996.
Upon beginning the conclave, the cardinals swear an oath of secrecy at the Sistine Chapel. There they will meet daily until they have chosen the new pope. No one knows how long it will take the conclave to choose a new pope — for some, it took a single day. The longest was in the 13th century. Electors discussed matters for two years and nine months before settling on Pope Gregory X.
Pope Francis was elected in 2013 after two days of voting.
The cardinals vote in secret, with one vote held on the first day of the conclave and four votes on each following day until they come to a two-thirds majority. The cardinals write their choice on a piece of paper. Three cardinals selected to be scrutineers then read each vote — one aloud, two in silence — before recording them.
All votes are strung together with a needle and thread to be kept together. They are then burned in a stove in perhaps the most public element of the conclave process. The color of smoke from the chimney at the chapel tells the waiting public whether the cardinals have come to an agreement. Black smoke means there has been no required majority, while white smoke tells the faithful they have a new bishop of Rome.
The cardinals mix wet or dry straw with the paper to create the proper color of smoke.
Once the cardinals have reached a super-majority, the conclave formally asks the selected pope-to-be whether they want to accept the position and, if so, the name he wishes to use. The senior cardinal then announces and introduces the new pope on the balcony at St. Peter’s Basically, calling out: “Habemus papam!” (“We have a new pope!”)
The new pope makes his first appearance on the balcony, gives a blessing and calls the conclave to a close. He is then officially inaugurated as pope in the following week.
