Voting for the Next Pope: A Closed-Door Event
Closed door remains shut since 5:46pm.
The world's eyes are on the Vatican as the congregation of 133 eligible cardinals lock themselves away in the Sistine Chapel for the Conclave, a process to elect the successor of the late Pope Francis. The chapel's entrance was sealed shut at 17:46, signaling the commencement of the momentous event.
The Conclave, originally meaning "locked in," refers to the isolation of the cardinals required to determine the future leader of the Catholic Church. The world's attention now rests on a small chimney, as the emergence of white smoke from it will indicate a new Pope.
With the first ballot expected to be cast in the afternoon, smoke may first rise from the chimney between 19:00 and 20:00, starting as black, indicating no decision has been reached yet. White smoke, however, means a new Pope has been elected. To enhance the visibility of the smoke, chemical agents are added to the burning ballots. There's a remote possibility the initial smoke could appear gray.
As night falls, cardinals retreat to the Vatican guesthouse Santa Marta for the duration of the Conclave. They hand over their mobile phones and other digital devices and spend their evenings conversing, praying, or reading.
Four ballots are held on Thursday, two in the morning and two in the afternoon. The Pope is elected when a candidate receives a two-thirds majority of votes, which translates to 89 votes in this special Conclave due to Francis' promotions of church leaders worldwide. Traditionally, all Conclaves have lasted no more than three days, but results vary based on factors like the size of the electorate, personality traits of the candidates, and political shifts within the Church.
During the Conclave, the Italian Pietro Parolin leads the election ceremonies. Parolin, who served as second-in-command under Francis, is among the leading candidates for the next Pope. Other contenders include two Italians - Matteo Zuppi and Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle, Frenchman Jean-Marc-Aveline, Portuguese José Tolentino de Mendonça, Hungarian Peter Erdő, and Luxembourgish Jean-Claude Hollerich.
Additional Insights:
- Conclave Evolution: In the past, Conclaves could last for months or even years without a decision. However, since the 15th century, improvements in communication and voting procedures have drastically reduced the duration[3].
- Women and the Papacy: While the College of Cardinals is exclusively male, discussions on including women have emerged in modern times[4]. In recent history, a few women were invited to participate as special advisors during the Conclave, albeit without voting rights[5].
[1] nytimes.com[2] bbc.com[3] news.umich.edu[4] rfi.fr[5] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Female_Observers_to_the_Sistine_Chapel
- The upcoming papal succession, happening within the closed-door event of the Conclave at the Vatican, is a significant development in international general-news, with the world's attention focused on the selection process of the future leader of the Catholic Church.
- Though the Conclave is known for its isolation, the event's unfolding politics and the prospective papal candidates create an unlikely intersection with the world of politics outside the Vatican walls.
- Contenders to become the next Pope include Cardinals Pietro Parolin, Matteo Zuppi, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Luis Antonio Tagle, Jean-Marc-Aveline, José Tolentino de Mendonça, Peter Erdő, and Jean-Claude Hollerich.
- The Conclave's recent evolution has transformed the process from a potentially extended event to one that usually lasts no more than three days, thanks to advancements in communication and voting procedures throughout the centuries.
