While Pope Francis remains hospitalized at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, discussions on the future leadership of the Catholic church have grown. Although the Vatican assured that the state of the Pope is stable, his age and his health history led to a renewed concentration on the Papal Conclave process, which determines how a new Pope is chosen.
What happens when a pope resigns or dies?
When a pope dies or resigns, the governance of the Catholic church temporarily passes to the college of Cardinals, a group of senior church officials appointed by the Pope himself. These cardinals wear distinctive red clothes and are responsible for the selection of the next church chief.
In the event of a papal vacation, the cardinals meet in the Vatican for a series of general congregations, where they discuss the global challenges of the Church and are preparing for the next elections, known as the Conclave. During this period, the main decisions that only a Pope can make – such as nominal bishops – are suspended.
How does the conclave work?
Traditionally, 15 to 20 days after the papal seat is vacant, the cardinals have a special mass at the Saint-Pierre basilica before proceeding in the elections.
Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote, and their number is limited to 120. These cardinal voters meet in the Sistine Chapel, where they take the oath of absolute secret before the doors of the chapel are sealed.
What is the voting process?
The voting process is very structured and traditional. Each cardinal writes the name of his favorite candidate on a ballot. The voting bulletins are folded and placed in a chalice under the fresco of Michelangelo of the Last Judgment. The votes are counted aloud and recorded by three designated cardinals.
Four voting cycles take place every day until a candidate provides a majority of two thirds.
If no candidate receives the required votes, the ballots are burned with chemicals that produce black smoke, reporting to the world that no pope has been chosen.
How was the new Pope announced?
Once a cardinal provides two -thirds of the votes, the dean of the Cardinal College asks him if he accepts the elections. If he does it, he chooses a papal name and puts on traditional papal clothes.
To report to the world that a new Pope has been chosen, the final ballots are burned by chemicals that produce white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney.
The main cardinal deacon then enters the balcony of the Saint-Pierre basilica and announces the historical words: “Habemus papam” (we have a pope). The newly elected pope then made his first public appearance, giving his blessing in Rome and the world.
Who will vote from India?
At least four cardinals from India will vote if a papal conclave takes place in the near future. They are archbishop of Goa and Daman, Filipe Neri Ferrão; Archbishop major-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Cardinal Cleemis Baselios; Hyderabad metropolitan archbishop, Cardinal Anthony Poola; and Archbishop Syro-Malabar, Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad.
