Cardinals under 80 years of age gather for a conclave - a secret election of a pope. Traditionally, voting takes place in the Sistine Chapel.
The election of a new head of the Roman Catholic Church is announced by white smoke from the chimney of the stove installed in the chapel. To be elected, the candidate must receive 2/3 of the votes. If there is no quorum, black smoke comes out of the chimney.
The world will find out who the new pontiff will be only when the elected cardinal steps onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. Then he will announce the name he has chosen for the papacy.
After After the morning mass in St. Peter's Basilica, the cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel in the afternoon for the rite extra omnes. This can be considered the official start of the conclave. The first vote is preceded by an oath of secrecy. Previously, a similar oath was taken by all the staff (about 100 people) who will serve the church's elite during the conclave: doctors, nurses, security guards, waiters.
There will be one vote on the first day. It has never been effective. In the following days, there will be two more rounds of voting - four in total: two in the morning and two in the afternoon. The ballots, which are counted by three cardinals, are burned in a stove. This is the only source of fire - candles are prohibited in the chapel in order to preserve the frescoes of the 15th-16th centuries - the“Last Judgement” by Michelangelo, as well as scenes from the Old and New Testaments painted by masters of the early Renaissance.
The cardinals are forbidden from having any contact with the outside world. They will be brought to the chapel adjacent to the Basilica of “St. Peter“ from a special hotel - the Casa Santa Marta, which became Francis' residence after his election in 2013. Then the last conclave was held after the abdication of Benedict XVI. Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who was called Francis, was elected in the fifth round.
It is difficult to predict how long the conclave will last and how it will end. In total, the college has 252 cardinals, 135 of whom are considered electors, since they are not yet 80 years old. Two will not be able to participate in the conclave due to health reasons, one of them (from Kenya) said that for unknown reasons he did not receive an invitation. It is suspected that his date of birth was indicated incorrectly. Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who was convicted in the case of the unprofitable purchase of a mansion in London as an investment project for the Vatican, also withdrew from the conclave. He denies his guilt and can still appeal to higher courts, but Francis also deprived him of his cardinal functions, including the right to participate in the conclave.
The quorum this time is the highest in history - 89, and it is not easy to overcome, especially against the background of the division of the church. Therefore, the cardinals promise to quickly elect a new pontiff so as not to create the impression of a schism. The name of the new pope is expected to be announced on May 9-10.
The most likely candidates are Italians: Pietro Parolin, who held the post of Vatican Secretary of State; Matteo Zuppi, president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, who on behalf of Francis dealt with the humanitarian side of the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine; Pierbattista Pizzaballa, patriarch of Jerusalem.
Among the other names mentioned are mostly Europeans: Archbishop of Marseille Jean-Marc Avelin, Hungarian Peter Erdő and the first Swedish cardinal Anders Arborelius. The European representatives in the conclave are the largest number - 59. Among the representatives from Asia and Africa, the most frequently mentioned are the Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle and the Archbishop of Kinshasa Fridolin Ambongo Besungu. Some observers note that the “compromise“ from a geographical point of view, it could be the Archbishop of Rabat, Cristobal Lopez Romero.
According to observers, Americans are more likely to have a real influence on the choice of one or another candidate. Although cardinals over 80 years of age do not enter the Sistine Chapel, they also carry considerable weight and could express their opinion to the congregation, which meets after the death of the pope, but before the conclave. .
Many speak of a confrontation between two blocs - the conservatives, who openly or secretly opposed Francis, and the progressives, who will continue his line. As Vaticanist and writer Marco Politi notes, the conservatives clearly do not have a clear candidate, because they know that they will not be able to get enough votes.
After the death of the pope, everyone talks about the value of his reign and the need to preserve his legacy.
At the congregation, the cardinals discussed in an expanded format what qualities the head of the church should possess. The Holy See announced the “commitment and responsibility of the cardinals in supporting the new pope, called to be a true shepherd, a leader who promotes dialogue and builds relationships with other religious and cultural worlds“. It was also noted that the pontiff must have the ability to become a bridge and a guide, to facilitate communication at a time when humanity is disoriented and experiencing a crisis of world order.
The Roman Catholic Church faces many problems, most notably the difficulty of preserving traditional values. This problem is particularly acute in Europe. Every fiscal year threatens to bring the city-state to bankruptcy. The problem of sexual abuse in the church has not been resolved. Francis made some "indulgences", such as a blessing for the divorced and homosexuals ("they are all children of God"), but did not change the texts of the catechism in any way, which caused some confusion. The shortage of clergy is also problematic, as is the spread of sects in various parts of the world.
Everyone notes that the social line of the new pontiff will not undergo significant changes: attention to the suffering and the poor, compassionate attitude towards refugees and migrants, sensitivity to the problems of climate change, calls for an end to wars and hostility around the world.