Conclave to Choose New Pope Will Open May 7, Vatican States
The Vatican announced that the conclave to select a new pope will formally begin on May 7, 2025, following the death of Pope Francis last week. The action comes following the end of the Novemdiales, a traditional nine-day period of mourning during which Catholics across the world have gathered to give respect and pray for the late pontiff.
Preparations are underway at the Sistine Chapel, where the 135 cardinal electors will soon gather in the gaze of Michelangelo's famous frescoes. These cardinals, all under the age of 80, have the daunting responsibility of selecting the next spiritual head of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics. Interestingly, an overwhelming majority of the electors were appointed by Pope Francis himself, reflecting the global and multi-dimensional Church he sought to create during his time in office.
The procedure of conclave is cloaked in tradition and ritual stretching centuries back. Cardinals will be cut off from the world, not permitted to talk to anybody who is outside the process. There will be daily rounds of voting, and a two-thirds majority will vote to elect the new pope. The ballots are burned after every vote: black smoke signifies no decision has been reached yet, and white smoke signifies that a new pontiff has been elected.
When none of the candidates secures the two-thirds majority after 33 votes, the voting process is shifted to a runoff between the two top-voting cardinals. Even then, a two-thirds majority is needed to confirm the election. This process ensures that the new pope will have a firm mandate of unity from the College of Cardinals.
Among the candidates in the running as front-runners are Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a long-time Vatican diplomat; Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, admired for his sense of pastoralia and global vision; Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, known for his doctrinal accuracy; and Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, a vociferous proponent of justice and peace. Their diverse backgrounds reflect the more globalized face of the Catholic Church.
In the run-up to the conclave, cardinals have been gathered in informal talks referred to as general congregations. The gathering is a platform for the cardinals to discuss the issues of the Church, discuss what type of leader they think the Church needs, and begin shortlisting those who might fit the bill. Themes that have emerged are the wish for a pope who will continue Francis's focus on social justice and attention to the poor and vulnerable and who will recover Catholic teaching from more conservative interpretations.
One of the looming issues surrounding the event is what will happen to Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who was convicted of financial misconduct in 2023 but remains a cardinal. Although he did not lose his title, the Vatican indicated that he will not vote, marking the Church's commitment to transparency and reform.
As May 7 approaches, tension and gravity surround the air both in the Vatican and among Catholics worldwide. The conclave is not just a leadership transition, but an opportunity to set the direction of the Church in a changing world. Whether the cardinals choose a candidate who continues the priorities of Pope Francis or one who sets a new course is yet to be decided.
After the election of the new pope, he will be required to indicate whether or not he accepts the position and, accepting, select a papal name. He will then be presented to the world from the middle balcony of St. Peter's Basilica with the formal declaration, "Habemus Papam" — "We have a pope."
Until that time, the world waits in prayerful expectation as the hallowed tradition of the conclave is played out once more.
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