The Catholic Church has had 266 popes so far in its two millennia of existence. The election of a new pope represents a moment of utmost importance for the Catholic community worldwide. The moment is marked by ancient traditions, solemn ceremonies, and well-established procedures.
When a pope dies, the leadership of the Catholic Church passes to the College of Cardinals. The cardinals are bishops of the Vatican from around the world, personally chosen by the pope, recognized by their distinctive red robes.
Following the vacancy of the papacy, the cardinals hold a series of meetings at the Vatican called general congregations. They discuss the needs and challenges facing the Catholic Church globally and prepare for the upcoming papal elections, which take place approximately two to three weeks after the pope's death, by convening the conclave in St. Peter's Basilica.
Decisions that only the pope can make, such as appointing a bishop or convening the Synod of Bishops, are postponed until after the elections.
The procedure for electing the pope
Convening the conclave. After the death or resignation of a pope, the College of Cardinals gathers within 15 to 20 days to organize the conclave. This period allows cardinals from around the world to reach the Vatican and provides time for reflection and prayer, as stated in a document published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Participants in the conclave. According to current norms, cardinals who have not reached the age of 80 at the start of the Sede Vacante have the right to participate in the conclave. The maximum number of cardinal electors is set at 120.
Conducting the conclave in the Sistine Chapel. The cardinal electors isolate themselves in the Sistine Chapel, where the voting process takes place. To ensure confidentiality and prevent external influences, the conclave is conducted under strict isolation conditions, without contact with the outside world.
Voting process. Voting is done by secret ballot. To be elected, a candidate must obtain a two-thirds majority of votes. In the first 30 ballots, this qualified majority is mandatory. If no result is reached after these ballots, a runoff can be held between the top two candidates, but still requiring a two-thirds majority.
The white smoke and black smoke
After each round of voting, the ballots are burned. If no decision is reached, chemicals producing black smoke are added, signaling to the crowd that a pope has not been elected yet.
In the event of a positive outcome, the smoke is white, announcing to the world the election of the new Sovereign Pontiff, as reported by CNN.
Once elected, the candidate is asked if they accept the position and what papal name they wish to bear. After acceptance, the new pope is presented to the gathered crowd in St. Peter's Square with the traditional "Habemus Papam" ("We have a pope").
There have been three rival popes
Starting with Saint Peter, considered the first pope, and up to the current Sovereign Pontiff, there have been 266 popes. This number includes popes from medieval periods when there were often conflicts regarding the legitimacy of certain elections.
Throughout history, there have been several cases of antipopes - individuals who claimed the title of pope without being officially recognized by the Catholic Church. These conflicts were common in the Middle Ages when political influence was strong on the papacy. A notable example is the Western Schism (1378-1417), when there were simultaneously two and later three rival popes.
The only voluntary resignation of a pope in modern times
An unprecedented case was the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013, a rare decision in the history of the Church.
The last similar resignation was that of Pope Celestine V in 1294.
Pope Benedict XVI cited health issues and advanced age as reasons for his decision, being succeeded by the current pope, Francis.
The longest pontificate belonged to Pope Pius IX (1846-1878), who led the Church for 31 years. At the opposite end, the shortest pontificate was that of Pope Urban VII in 1590, who died just 13 days after his election.
How popes were elected in the early centuries of Christianity
In the early centuries of Christianity, the election of the Bishop of Rome, later known as the pope, was carried out by the local clergy and members of the Christian community in Rome. This method reflected the structure of early Christian communities, where leaders were chosen through the consensus of the faithful.
As the Church gained influence and power, the process of electing the pope was often influenced by emperors, kings, and local nobles. In certain periods, lay leaders had a decisive say in the appointment of the pope, leading to conflicts and controversies.
To limit lay influence and ensure the Church's autonomy, in 1059, Pope Nicholas II issued the decree "In Nomine Domini," which established that only the cardinal-bishops had the right to elect the new pope. This was a crucial step in defining the procedure for electing the Sovereign Pontiff.
The term "conclave" comes from Latin, meaning "with a key," emphasizing the isolation of the cardinals during the election. In 1179, Pope Alexander III established at the Third Lateran Council that all cardinals, not just the bishops, had the right to vote in the papal election, thus consolidating the conclave procedure.