Smoke signals a new Pope: Understanding Vatican Conclave procedures

ROME: Pope Francis, the supreme head of the global Catholic Church, passed away just a few hours ago. He was the first Latin American Pope in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. He breathed his last at 7:35 a.m. local time at his residence in the Vatican. The news was officially announced through a video statement by the Vatican.

Death of the Pope
The Pope's death is confirmed by the Camerlengo (the Vatican administrator). The Camerlengo will first call the Pope’s baptismal name three times. If there is no response, the death is officially confirmed. Before 1963, a small silver hammer was gently tapped on the Pope’s forehead to verify death, but this practice was discontinued after that year. Following confirmation, the death is publicly announced through the Vatican's official channels. The funeral must take place within 4 to 6 days.

The Conclave
The new Pope is elected through a gathering called the Conclave, held in the Vatican. A Conclave is convened when a Pope either passes away or resigns. Currently, the College of Cardinals includes 252 members, of whom 138 are under the age of 80 and eligible to vote in the Conclave.

The Conclave takes place in the Sistine Chapel. During the proceedings, cardinals are entirely cut off from the outside world—no phones or any form of communication is allowed until a new Pope is chosen. Voting occurs multiple times, and the process continues until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority.

After each round of voting, the ballots are burned. The colour of the smoke rising from the chapel's chimney signals the outcome to the outside world: black smoke indicates no decision has been reached, while white smoke signifies that a new Pope has been elected.

Choosing the New Pope
The Conclave begins 15 to 20 days after the Pope’s death. The entire process is highly secretive. Once a candidate agrees to become Pope, he must choose a new papal name. The senior cardinal deacon then appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and announces the new Pope to the world. Soon after, the newly elected Pope steps onto the balcony to bless the faithful.