In the ritual-bound halls of the Sistine Chapel, 135 cardinal-electors are set to begin the conclave today, May 7, 2025, to select the next pope, the 267th spiritual leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics.
The scene is one of reflection and anticipation, as the cardinals enter the sacred space, cloistered from the world, to deliberate and choose a new pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21 at the age of 88.
The passing of Francis, after a stroke, has brought an end to his 12-year papacy, a period marked by both global outreach and internal reform. Yet, today’s conclave is not one of mourning, but of transition, a moment that occurs with quiet urgency and a focus on continuity.
For centuries, the conclave has adhered to strict rituals, maintaining an atmosphere of sacred secrecy. The Sistine Chapel, with its centuries-old frescoes by Michelangelo, becomes a timeless space where cardinal-electors gather to make a choice that will impact not only the Catholic Church but also the broader world.
As they enter, the cardinals take an oath of secrecy, pledging that they will speak of nothing outside the walls of the conclave and that their decisions will remain within the chamber.
Phones are banned, as is all communication with the outside world. The cardinals are fully immersed in the process, their deliberations conducted with solemnity and humility. The election itself is conducted through a series of votes.
Ballots are cast by each cardinal-elector, then carefully counted. If no one candidate secures two-thirds of the vote in a given round, the ballots are burned, producing black smoke from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney, a signal that the search for a new pope continues.
It is only once a cardinal has received the necessary votes to secure the papacy that white smoke will billow from the chimney, signaling the election of the new pope. At that moment, the world’s attention will shift to the Vatican, awaiting the announcement of the next pontiff.
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