How a Pope Is Chosen and What Happens When a Seat Becomes Vacant

The Pope Is Elected by Cardinals in a Process Called a Conclave

When a pope dies or resigns, the Catholic Church does not hold a public election or take nominations from the general public. Instead, cardinals under the age of 80 gather in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City for a closed meeting called a conclave. The word means "with a key" — the doors lock, and cardinals remain inside until they elect a new pope by a two-thirds majority vote.

The conclave has no set date. Church law requires it to begin between 15 and 20 days after the pope's death or resignation, giving time for cardinals scattered across the world to travel to Rome. During those waiting days, the Church's daily operations continue under the leadership of senior cardinals, but no major decisions are made.

Only cardinals who have not yet turned 80 can vote. As of now, there are roughly 120 to 130 cardinals may be able to access to vote at any given time, though this number changes as cardinals age out or new ones are appointed. The pope himself appoints all cardinals, so the pool of voters reflects the choices of previous popes.

Key Takeaways

• A conclave is called only when a pope dies or resigns, and cardinals under 80 are the only voters.
• Voting takes place in the Sistine Chapel, and a new pope must receive a two-thirds majority on the ballot.
• If no pope is elected after several rounds of voting, the process can stretch over days or weeks.
• The announcement of a new pope is made from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, visible to crowds in the square below.
• A cardinal does not have to accept the election — historically, a few have refused — but refusal is extremely rare in modern times.

How Voting Works Inside the Conclave

Cardinals vote in rounds, usually twice per day — once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Each cardinal writes a name on a ballot in secret. The ballots are collected, read aloud by a cardinal appointed as scrutineer, and recorded. If a candidate receives two-thirds of the votes, he is elected pope and the conclave ends immediately.

If no candidate reaches two-thirds, the ballots are burned in a special stove in the Sistine Chapel. Smoke rises from a chimney above the chapel roof — black smoke signals that no pope has been elected and voting will continue. White smoke announces that a new pope has been chosen. Crowds gather in St. Peter's Square to watch for the smoke, which is how the outside world learns the conclave has ended.

There is no campaigning or public debate among the cardinals. They pray, discuss candidates in small groups, and vote. The Church keeps the discussions secret — cardinals take an oath not to reveal what was said or how anyone voted. This secrecy has been enforced for centuries and remains binding even after a cardinal's death.

What Happens If Voting Takes a Long Time

Most modern conclaves elect a pope within a few days. The 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis lasted two days. The 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI lasted about 26 hours. However, historically, conclaves have dragged on for weeks or even months when cardinals were deeply divided.

If voting stalls, cardinals remain in the conclave. They sleep in simple rooms, eat meals together, and continue voting. There is no time limit — the process continues until a two-thirds majority is reached. In practice, cardinals eventually coalesce around a candidate because the alternative is indefinite confinement.

The Church has changed the voting rules several times over the centuries to prevent deadlock. In 1996, Pope John Paul II introduced a rule allowing a simple majority vote after 33 rounds of balloting, though this rule has never been needed. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI modified it again, raising the threshold back to two-thirds but allowing a runoff vote between the two candidates with the most votes if the conclave extended beyond a certain point.

The Role of Cardinals and How They Are Chosen

Cardinals are appointed by the pope, not elected. A pope typically appoints new cardinals at ceremonies called consistories, which happen at irregular intervals — sometimes years apart. The pope chooses bishops, archbishops, and other senior clergy from around the world and elevates them to cardinal rank.

Because only the pope appoints cardinals, the composition of the conclave reflects the theological and pastoral priorities of the previous pope or popes. A pope who appointed many conservative cardinals will likely be succeeded by someone with similar views. A pope who appointed reformers may be followed by another reformer, though this is not may provide.

Cardinals come from dozens of countries and speak many languages. The conclave includes cardinals from Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. This geographic diversity means the next pope could be from anywhere in the world, though historically most have been European.

What Happens After a Pope Is Elected

Once a cardinal receives two-thirds of the votes, he is formally asked: "Do you accept your election as supreme pontiff?" The cardinal can refuse — this has happened a handful of times in history — but refusal is extraordinarily rare in modern times. If he accepts, he chooses a papal name, which is announced to the world.

The new pope then appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, overlooking the square where thousands have gathered. A cardinal announces the election in Latin: "Habemus papam" — "We have a pope." The crowd learns the new pope's name and sees him in person for the first time as pope.

The new pope's first acts typically include blessing the crowd, meeting with cardinals, and beginning to appoint advisors and make decisions about the direction of the Church. The formal installation ceremony, called an inauguration or enthronement, takes place days or weeks later and is a major public event.

The Interregnum: What Happens Between Popes

The period between a pope's death or resignation and the election of a new pope is called the interregnum. During this time, the Church is technically without a leader, though senior cardinals manage day-to-day operations. The cardinal who is dean of the College of Cardinals — essentially the most senior cardinal — takes on ceremonial duties and chairs meetings.

No major policy decisions are made during the interregnum. The Church does not appoint new bishops, approve major spending, or make doctrinal pronouncements. This is intentional — the idea is that such decisions should wait for the new pope. The interregnum typically lasts 15 to 30 days, depending on how long it takes cardinals to gather and how quickly they reach a decision.

During the interregnum, the media, theologians, and Catholics worldwide discuss potential candidates. These discussions are public and sometimes intense, but they have no formal role in the conclave itself. Cardinals may read the news and hear the speculation, but they are not bound by public opinion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can laypeople or non-cardinals become pope?

Technically, the pope does not have to be a cardinal. Church law requires only that he be a baptized male member of the Church. However, in practice, every pope for centuries has been a cardinal at the time of election, because cardinals are the only ones in the conclave voting. A non-cardinal could theoretically be elected if cardinals voted for him, but this has not happened in modern history.

What if a cardinal is sick or unable to travel to Rome?

Cardinals are expected to attend the conclave in person. If a cardinal is too ill to travel, he may request a dispensation, but this is rare. The Church prefers all may be able to access cardinals to be present. In recent conclaves, nearly all cardinals have attended, even elderly or infirm ones, because the election is considered a sacred duty.

How long does the entire process take from death to new pope?

The minimum is about 15 days — the waiting period before the conclave can begin — plus however long the voting takes. Most modern conclaves last one to three days, so the total is usually 16 to 20 days. Historically, conclaves have lasted much longer, but modern ones tend to be faster because cardinals reach consensus more quickly.

Is the conclave truly secret, or do details leak out?

Cardinals take an oath of secrecy and the conclave is closed to the public and press. However, after a conclave ends, some cardinals have spoken to journalists about what happened inside, though they do not reveal how individual cardinals voted. The Church has strengthened penalties for breaking the oath in recent years, but enforcement is difficult.

What happens if the pope resigns instead of dying?

The process is identical. A resignation triggers the same interregnum and conclave. Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013, the first pope to do so in nearly 600 years, and the conclave that followed was handled the same way as any other. The pope's resignation must be made freely and announced clearly, but once it is, a new conclave is called.