Vatican shuts Sistine Chapel during papal election event
VATICAN CITY - It's time to bid farewell to the tourists and welcome the cardinals.
The iconic Sistine Chapel has shut its doors, and it's not scheduled to reopen until the cardinals, clad in red robes, assemble at the Vatican to elect the next pope. This follows the unfortunate demise of Pope Francis on April 21, at the age of 88.
Pope Francis received a grand farewell on Saturday at his funeral in St. Peter's Square, attended by numerous world leaders and an estimated 200,000 people. A nine-day period of mourning is currently underway, and once it concludes, preparations for the papal conclave will commence in earnest.
Now, the Vatican is all about the next steps, and a crucial one involves readying the Sistine Chapel. Cardinals from across the globe will gather within this historic locale to choose the next leader of the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic church, much like in the 2024 film "Conclave."
One central task: setting up the chimney where the ballots will be burned post votes. Lucky were those visitors who managed to secure an entry on Sunday, as it's hard to predict how long the conclave will last or how long the Sistine Chapel will remain off-limits to the public.
"We felt incredibly fortunate to be the last group of visitors to visit today," said Sumon Khan, a tourist from the United States. "Our trip wouldn't have felt complete without setting foot in this magnificent place."
According to church law, the conclave can only start after the nine-day period of mourning. The earliest it's expected to begin is between May 5 and May 10.
When the conclave kicks off, cardinals, aged under 80 (approximately 135), will assemble to discuss church priorities and potential candidates through a series of General Congregations[1]. Once ready, they'll enter the Sistine Chapel, sworn to secrecy, to start the voting process.
The cardinals will petition the saints for guidance as they chant the Litany of Saints and file into the chapel[4]. Once inside, the chapel's thick double doors will close, and the master of liturgy will utter the Latin words "Extra omnes," meaning "everyone out."
Then, the world will wait for a sign: black smoke coming from the chimney in the Sistine Chapel, indicating that they haven't garnered the two-thirds majority for a new pope. But when a pope is finally chosen, white smoke will billow, and the bells will toll[1][3].
The choice will determine whether the next pontiff will continue Francis' reforms, focusing on the poor, marginalized, and environment, or whether they'll lean towards conservative predecessors like Benedict XVI, emphasizing doctrine[1].
- The Sistine Chapel, often filled with tourists, is now being prepared for the cardinals, as they'll assemble there to elect the next pope, following the long mourning period after Pope Francis' death.
- During the General Congregations, cardinals aged under 80 will discuss church priorities and potential candidates, sworn to secrecy and chanting the Litany of Saints before entering the Sistine Chapel.
- The election process will commence once the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel, with the master of liturgy announcing "Extra omnes" and closing the thick double doors, signaling the start of the voting process.
- The world will closely watch the smoke coming from the Sistine Chapel's chimney, with black smoke indicating no two-thirds majority for a new pope, and white smoke signaling a choice has been made, which could determine if the next pope will focus on Francis' environmental reforms or lean towards more conservative doctrine.
