When a pope dies or resigns, the governance of the CatholicChurch passes to the College of Cardinals. Cardinals are bishops and Vaticanofficials from all over the world, personally chosen by the pope, recognizeableby their distinctive red vestments. Their primary responsibility is to elect anew pope.
Following a vacancy in the papacy, the cardinals hold aseries of meetings at the Vatican called general congregations. They discussthe needs and the challenges facing the Catholic Church globally. They willalso prepare for the upcoming papal election, called a conclave. Decisions thatonly the pope can make, such as appointing a bishop or convening the Synod ofBishops, must wait till after the election. In the past, they made arrangements for the funeral and burial of thedeceased pope.
Four rounds of balloting are takenevery day until a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote.
In the past, 15 to 20 days after a papal vacancy, thecardinals gathered in St. Peter's Basilica for a Mass invoking the guidance ofthe Holy Spirit in electing a new pope. Only cardinals under the age of 80 areeligible to vote in a conclave. They are known as the cardinal electors, andtheir number is limited to 120. For the conclave itself, the cardinal electorsprocess to the Sistine Chapel and take an oath of absolute secrecy before sealingthe doors.
The cardinals vote by secret ballot, processing one by oneup to Michelangelo's fresco of the Last Judgment, saying a prayer and droppingthe twice-folded ballot in a large chalice. Four rounds of balloting are takenevery day until a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote. The result of eachballot are counted aloud and recorded by three cardinals designated asrecorders. If no one receives the necessary two-thirds of the vote, the ballotsare burned in a stove near the chapel with a mixture of chemicals to produceblack smoke.
When a cardinal receives the necessary two-thirds vote, thedean of the College of Cardinals asks him if he accepts his election. If heaccepts, he chooses a papal name and is dressed in papal vestments before processingout to the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. The ballots of the final round areburned with chemicals producing white smoke to signal to the world the electionof a new pope.
The senior cardinal deacon, currently French CardinalJean-Louis Tauran, announces from the balcony of St. Peter's "Habemus Papam"("We have a pope") before the new pope processes out and imparts his blessingon the city of Rome and the entire world.
