Viewpoints Explained: Inside The Conclave: The Hidden Rules Of Electing A Pope

This is Viewpoints Explained…

Right now, the world is watching as the catholic church prepares to elect a new pope. But the process to pick a new leader isn’t so simple — the conclave is a secretive ritual that’s centuries old.

For starters, the roman word “Conclave” translates to “a locked room”. That’s because the cardinals who vote for the new pope are locked inside the Sistine Chapel until a decision’s been made. To prevent any possible leaks of information, there’s no phone or internet and the Vatican uses special signal jammers to block all electronic communications.

Once inside, all of the cardinals take an oath of secrecy and then begin voting for who among them will become the new pope. Each writes down the name of their pick on a piece of paper. Fun fact – they’re encouraged to disguise their handwriting so it’s difficult to tell who voted for who. A new pope is elected only once a two-thirds majority has been reached. The longest it’s ever taken to reach a majority was back in the year 1268. The process took almost three years because of political infighting and disagreement between the cardinals.

After each round of voting, it’s customary for all of the paper ballots are burned in a small stove. The smoke alerts the thousands of people in saint peter’s square waiting for news. Black smoke means “no decision yet,” while white smoke signals “we have a new pope.” To make sure there’s no confusion, the vatican adds special chemicals to create a clear and unmistakable signal. In 2005, the Vatican also began ringing the largest bell at st. peter’s basilica when a majority was reached.

After the voting process, the new pope immediately picks a papal name. for example, Pope Francis chose his name in honor of Saint Francis Of Assisi, a 13th century saint known for his work helping the poor. Once he’s taken his new moniker, he’ll change into the papal robes and then head to the balcony of the basilica to give his first blessing. And that’s when a new chapter begins for more than a billion catholics worldwide.