On Friday, workers installed a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel in preparation for the election of the next pope. This chimney plays a crucial role in signaling the outcome of the election to the public, which will determine the successor to Pope Francis, who passed away last month. The presence of the chimney is a traditional part of the process, indicating whether a new pope has been chosen or not.
Conclave Process as Cardinals Vote in Secret with Chimney Signaling Pope Election
Following the death of Pope Francis, a conclave of cardinals will take place on Wednesday, May 7, to elect the next pope. The conclave will be attended by 135 cardinal electors, who are senior members of the Catholic Church. To participate, cardinals must be under the age of 80. During this secretive process, they will meet in the Sistine Chapel to vote on the new pope, with the deliberations taking place behind locked doors.
Sistine Chapel Chimney Rises as Cardinals Prepare to Elect Pope Francis’ SuccessorDuring the conclave, the chimney will serve as the primary method of communication with the public. As the cardinals vote, they burn their ballots in a stove located inside the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke indicates that no consensus has been reached, and voting continues. White smoke, on the other hand, signals that a new pope has been elected. The color of the smoke is produced using specific chemicals, and it will be the only visible sign of progress until a decision is made.
Multiple Voting Rounds and Historical Speed of Conclave Elections Leading to New Pope
The cardinals will vote until they reach a two-thirds majority in favor of a new pope. The process typically involves multiple rounds of voting, with each round bringing the cardinals closer to a consensus. On the first evening of the conclave, a preliminary vote is held to gauge the priorities of the cardinals. From the following day, there are two voting rounds each morning and afternoon. The process can last several days, but historically, conclaves in the 20th and 21st centuries have concluded in under four days.
In recent history, conclaves have been relatively quick affairs, often lasting no more than a few days. The election of Pope Francis in 2013, for example, took place at the end of the conclave’s second day. The tradition of using smoke to communicate the progress of the election has been a hallmark of the papal conclave for centuries, serving as both a public announcement and a solemn symbol of the church’s deliberative process.