New Pope To Be Elected Next Week
New Pope To Be Elected Next Week – The Vatican has officially announced that the conclave to elect the 267th Pope will begin on May 7, 2025.
The decision comes shortly after the conclusion of the Novemdiales—a series of nine days of mourning and prayer following the passing of Pope Francis.
Roughly 180 cardinals currently gathered in Rome, including over 100 eligible electors, agreed on the date during their fifth General Congregation.
The election will take place in the Sistine Chapel, which will remain closed to the public throughout the conclave.
What Happens During the Conclave?
The conclave will be preceded by a solemn Eucharistic celebration—the Pro Eligendo Papa Mass—attended by all cardinal electors.
In the afternoon, the cardinals will proceed in a solemn procession to the Sistine Chapel, where they will take the oath of secrecy and commitment to elect the new Pope faithfully and without external influence.
Once inside, all non-participants will be ordered to leave following the traditional proclamation “extra omnes.”
A spiritual meditation will then be delivered to the electors, emphasizing the weight of their responsibility and the need to act solely in the Church’s interest. After the meditation, voting procedures begin.
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Voting Rules
To elect a new Pope, a two-thirds majority of votes is required. If the number of electors isn’t divisible by three, the next whole number is used. The first day may include a single vote; subsequent days can have up to four ballots—two in the morning and two in the afternoon.
After each round, ballots are burned. Black smoke signals no decision, while white smoke confirms a new Pope has been chosen.
If no Pope is elected after three days, cardinals may pause for prayer and discussion before resuming. Once a candidate is chosen, the Dean of the College of Cardinals will ask for the candidate’s acceptance and papal name. Upon acceptance, the new Pope assumes full authority over the Church.
The Pope is then introduced to the world with the iconic phrase: “Habemus Papam” (“We have a Pope”), followed by his first Apostolic Blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. He will later be formally installed at the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the Pope’s official ecclesiastical seat.
