Pope choice in the Sistine chapel: cardinals withdraw!

Pope choice in the Sistine chapel: cardinals withdraw!

Vatikansstadt, Vatikanstadt - On May 7, 2025, 133 entitled to vote gathered in the Sistine chapel to choose a new head of the Catholic Church. The ceremonies began with a trade fair in St. Peter's Basilica, which was led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. Before the cardinals entered the chapel, they were dressed in festive clothing for the "Pro Elendo Romano Pontefice" trade fair, while believers performed their prayers on St. Peter's Square and followed the preparations. Some cardinals, such as Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, were seen on St. Peter's Square, while Cardinal Pietro Parolin celebrated the final mass and Cardinal Camillo Ruini took a seat in the front row. During the fair, a nun and many believers protected themselves from the rain when they were waiting for the cardinals to move in, which then closed the door to the Sistine chapel with the words: "Extra omnes".

The choice is considered to be the directional for the future orientation of the Catholic Church, and it is eagerly awaited how the cardinals are to be prepared to design the upcoming choice. After the first ballot, however, there was no new Pope; Black smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine chapel, which means that the majority have not yet been reached. This was made possible by the use of special ballots, which are burned with chemical addition, in order to signal that no decision was made. Over 30,000 people were waiting on St. Peter's Square to see the smoke sign, while several thousand pursued the transmission via the Livestream of "Vatican News". After their first choice, the cardinals returned to the Santa Marta guest house, where they could use the evening for discussions, prayers or reading.

The story of the conclusion

The current conclave is not the first of its kind in the history of the Catholic Church. The term “conclave”, which means "with the key", comes from Latin and originated in the 12th century when cardinals were literally included during the pope election. This practice was determined by the Council of Lyon in 1274 by Gregor X. to minimize external influences. The first documented conclave took place in Perugia in 1216, followed by another in 1241 in Rome. Historically, the conditions under which the election took place were often precarious, since cardinals were enclosed in ruins or other unsuitable places to increase the pressure to choose a new Pope.

For today's choice, the cardinals are cut off from the public, which leads to a more intensive and more focused community of voters, which acts according to the traditions of the ancestors. The practice of secret choice has established itself since 1621 and the use of smoke signs for the announcement of the election results was introduced in the 19th century. So when the white smoke rises over the Sistine chapel, this signals the finally found successor of the late Pope Francis, whose memory was honored by Father Robert Reyes. Until then, the world will be excited to see who is chosen as the new Pope.