The Stages of the Conclave Ceremony
Vatican City. X/ @PiQSuite
April 23, 2025 Hour: 5:12 am
Strict rules guide the cardinals in selecting the new Pope of the Catholic Church.
If there is something that has barely changed in the Catholic Church over the decades, it is the strict ceremonial of the conclave—the vote by the cardinals in the Sistine Chapel to elect the new pope.
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They are no longer locked in without food until a pontiff is chosen, and the number of cardinals has changed over time, but the strict rules remain in place to guide them “under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit” in selecting the new successor of Peter.
The Dinner
Tradition dictates that all the cardinal electors—who, in this case, will number 133 following two withdrawals—will move the evening before the conclave begins to the Casa Santa Marta, the residence inside the Vatican where Francis lived, to dine together. From that moment on, they will be isolated from the outside world and completely cut off from communication.
The Opening Mass
The next morning, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, will celebrate the “Pro eligendo Papa” Mass, which is open to all the faithful in St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Procession
In the afternoon, the cardinal electors will proceed to the Sistine Chapel in a procession, invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit with the chant of Veni Creator.
The ‘Extra Omnes’
At the end of the oath-taking inside the Sistine Chapel, the Master of Liturgical Celebrations, Diego Ravelli, will proclaim Extra omnes (“everyone out”), and the doors will be closed. Only the cardinal electors will remain inside, and the first vote will then take place.
The Prayers
Each day, the cardinals will celebrate Mass and then proceed to the Sistine Chapel, where at 9:00 a.m. local time, they will pray Lauds. After the second vote of the afternoon, the electors will pray Vespers.
The Voting
The cardinals will vote twice in the morning (immediately after Lauds) and twice in the afternoon (at 4:00 p.m. local time). Currently, there are 133 cardinal electors, so 88 votes are needed to elect the successor of Peter.
The ‘Fumata’ (Smoke)
After every two votes, the ballots on which the cardinals have written their chosen candidate are burned in a stove inside the Sistine Chapel. The smoke exits through a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel: one plume may be seen around noon, and another at 7:00 p.m. If smoke appears before those times, it means a pope has been elected.
The Bells
Once the election is complete, white smoke will rise from the chimney and, at the same time, the six bells of St. Peter’s will ring in celebration.
The “Room of Tears”
In the sacristy of the Sistine Chapel, a room is prepared with garments for the new pontiff in various sizes. This is the so-called “Room of Tears,” named for being the place where the newly elected pope releases the emotion he has held in until that moment.
The Voting Procedure
The last cardinal deacon selects three scrutineers, three revisers, and three assistants. The Masters of Ceremonies hand out two or three blank ballots to each elector, then leave the Sistine Chapel.
Each cardinal fills out the ballot in secret, writing “clearly, in the most legible script possible, the name of the person he chooses.” He then folds the ballot in half and, holding it high and clearly visible, walks to the altar, near which the scrutineers are seated.
The cardinal swears: “I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will judge me, that I am voting for the one who, before God, I think should be elected.” He places the ballot on a plate and slides it into a chalice used as a ballot box. He bows before the altar and returns to his seat.
At the end of the vote, the first scrutineer shakes the urn several times to mix the ballots, and the third scrutineer transfers the ballots, one by one, to another chalice. If the number of ballots matches the number of electors, the counting proceeds.
The scrutineers sit at a table placed in front of the altar. The first scrutineer opens one ballot at a time and reads the name. The second repeats the procedure. The third records the name and reads it aloud, then pierces the ballots with a needle and threads them all together with a string.
The Camerlengo collects the notes and draws up a report with the result. All the papers are then burned in the stove, with a chemical additive to change the color of the smoke.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
