Conclave is approaching: Who will be the next Pope to Francis?

Conclave is approaching: Who will be the next Pope to Francis?

Vatikanstadt, Vatikan - On April 28, 2025, the Catholic believers and the church are located in a phase of grief and preparation. Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88, and the nine -day mourning period, which began after his death, was already initiated on Saturday, the day of his funeral on St. Peter's Square. At the funeral, the sympathy was remarkably large of both dignitaries and believers. In the middle of this mourning period, the Vatican is preparing for the upcoming conclave for the choice of a new Pope.

The conclave, which officially begins on May 7, 2025, is the process to determine a new Pope and has been recognized as the official procedure in the Vatican since 1241. The term “conclave” is derived from the Latin “Cum Clave”, which means “with key” and indicates the isolated assembly of the cardinals entitled to vote, which remains exclusively among themselves. The Sistine chapel, in which the choice takes place, is closed to the public. At the moment, the management of the church is located during the Sedisvakanz at the Camerlengo, currently Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell.

preparation for the conclave

In the run -up to the conclusion, daily meetings of the cardinals take place in the Synodenaula to coordinate the election process. In this context, it should be noted that 135 cardinals are entitled to vote and the choice is carried out in complete completion. All cardinals under the age of 80 who celebrate a trade fair in St. Peter's Basila before the election are entitled to vote before they move into the Sistine chapel. The conclave begins at the earliest 15 days and no later than 20 days after the Sedis vacancy.

When choosing itself, the cardinals write the name of their desired candidate on prepared notes and put them down secretly. In order to be considered chosen, a candidate must achieve a two -thirds majority of the votes. If this does not succeed, new voting groups are necessary that can take place up to four times a day. Since 2013, a runoff election between the most frequently mentioned candidates has also been possible, also with the request of a two -thirds majority.

Cardinal college and their tasks

The regulations on the Sedis vacancy that currently apply were introduced in 1996 by Pope John Paul II. The Cardinal College is only responsible for ongoing matters until a new Pope is chosen. After each ballot, the ballot papers are burned and the condition of the choice is shown by smoke signs: Black smoke means that no result has been achieved while a white smoke and a bell ring announced the successful choice.

Behind the scenes there is currently a good climate among the cardinals, as Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti reports. Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi also expresses optimism about the early beginning of the complain and the choice of a new Pope that is not selected according to human criteria.

Organization and structure of the Catholic Church are closely linked to the diocese of Rome, the diocese of the Pope. Historically back into the apostle time, the diocese is led by Cardinal Baldassare Reina as a cardinal vicar, supported by four auxiliary bishops. The Lateran Basilica acts as the bishop's church in the diocese and is considered the "mother of all churches".