The College of Cardinals began the highly anticipated process of electing a new pope on Wednesday afternoon inside the Sistine Chapel, with 133 eligible cardinal-electors casting their initial ballots. The secretive and sacred tradition, known as a papal conclave, will continue until one candidate achieves the required two-thirds majority vote.
The length of the conclave remains uncertain. While some modern papal elections have concluded within two or three days, the outcome of this particular vote could hinge on deep ideological divides within the Church.
A defining feature of this year’s conclave is its extraordinary diversity. The majority of electors were appointed by the late Pope Francis, whose global outreach and emphasis on inclusion reshaped the College of Cardinals. However, experts caution that this does not guarantee the election of a like-minded successor, as some of his appointees hail from regions with traditionally conservative leanings.
During the conclave, cardinals are completely cut off from external contact. Their phones have been surrendered, and communications from the Sistine Chapel have been disabled to preserve the secrecy of the proceedings.
Who Might Succeed Francis?
No single candidate has emerged as a clear favorite, though a handful of names are generating significant buzz in Vatican circles and on betting markets. Italy’s Pietro Parolin, the current Vatican secretary of state, is considered a pragmatic moderate. Meanwhile, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines is viewed as a progressive voice aligned with Francis’s vision, known for his humility and advocacy for the poor.
Other potential frontrunners include Italian Cardinals Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Matteo Zuppi, along with cardinals from around the world such as Fridolin Ambongo (Congo), Peter Erdo (Hungary), Peter Turkson (Ghana), and Jean-Marc Aveline (France).
The Election Process
The conclave formally opened with a special Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica before the cardinals proceeded to the Sistine Chapel. From then on, they will vote up to four times daily. Each ballot is handwritten with the Latin phrase, “Eligo in summum pontificem” (“I elect as supreme pontiff”).
After each round, ballots are burned with chemicals that produce either black smoke (indicating no decision) or white smoke (signaling a successful election). Pilgrims and press from around the world are gathered in St. Peter’s Square, scanning the skies for the next plume.
A Pivotal Moment for the Church
This conclave carries significant implications for the direction of the Catholic Church. Pope Francis left a complex legacy—praised by many for his progressive stances on LGBTQ inclusion and women’s leadership, yet criticized by traditionalists who felt he steered too far from orthodoxy.
Some cardinals are eager to continue Francis’s reforms. Others, however, believe the Church must course-correct. “Some want someone in the mold of Francis,” Cardinal Anders Arborelius of Sweden told reporters.
“Others absolutely do not.” Italian Cardinal Camillo Ruini emphasized a need to “return the church to Catholics,” signaling the intensity of competing visions within the conclave, according to Forbes.
Dean of the College of Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re acknowledged the gravity of the moment, calling it “a difficult and complex turning point in history” and praying for a pope who would lead “for the good of the Church and of humanity.”
Pop Culture Meets Papal Politics
In a surprising twist, some cardinals reportedly watched Conclave, the Oscar-winning drama released earlier this year, in preparation for the real-life event. Viewership of the film surged by nearly 300% in the wake of Francis’s passing, according to Luminate. One cleric described the movie as “remarkably accurate.”
Background on Pope Francis’s Passing
Pope Francis died at the age of 88 on Easter Monday, April 21, following complications from pneumonia and bronchitis. He suffered a cerebral stroke and heart failure during what became his longest hospitalization as pontiff. His death marks the end of a transformative era and sets the stage for what may be one of the most consequential papal elections in modern Church history.
Keep up with the conclave with us on Que Onda Magazine.