Papal Conclave 2025: Is there a new Pope? Know the process, moment when new Pope is elected

Eligible members of the College of Cardinals will soon begin casting their ballots for the election of the successor of Pope Francis, who took his last breath on April 21. The papal conclave for the selection of a new pope takes place at the Sistine Chapel, which begins on May 7. While there is no official deadline for the voting process to finish and finalize the next pope, cardinals are hopeful that the conclave will conclude in 2-3 days. The election process is carried out under strict secrecy, with the College of Cardinals gathering behind closed doors of the iconic Vatican City chapel.

Why does papal conclave use smoke to signal its decision

The schedule for the latest papal conclave puts its commencement time during the afternoon hours of Wednesday (May 7). Voting is conducted in rounds, until one of the papal candidates secures a two-thirds majority. Since the College of Cardinals is virtually cut off from the outside world during the election process, smoke is used as an indicator to show whether a new pope has yet been chosen or if the voting will continue further.

Also Read : Dallas Cowboys close to acquiring George Pickens in trade with Pittsburgh Steelers

What does the Sistine Chapel smoke indicate?

If the smoke billowing from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel is white, it signals that a new bishop of Rome has indeed been elected. The white smoke or fumata bianca as an indicator for the new pope is an age-old tradition, which has been in practice since 1274. Meanwhile, the burning of ballots started in 1417, according to the Catholic News Agency.

On the other hand, black smoke indicates that the voting rounds, thus far, were inconclusive and election of the next pope is poised to take longer.

Sistine Chapel smoke: Mystery behind the colour

The smoke is produced by burning the ballots from each round of voting. The ballots are set ablaze in a special furnace. The smoke is given the desired colour with the help of specific chemical compounds. Black smoke is produced with the help of a mixture that reportedly consists of potassium perchlorate, anthracene, and sulphur. Meanwhile, the white smoke is the result of the ballots being burned alongside potassium chlorate.

Also Read : Cristiano Ronaldo is proud father as Ronaldo Jr earns first Portugal U15 call-up for international tournament

History of producing white smoke vs black smoke

In ancient times, however, the method of lending the desired colour to the smoke was much more simple. During that era, the black smoke was produced by the combustion of the ballots in presence of a bit of wet straw. The white smoke, on the other hand, was obtained by burning the ballots with dry straw. The method, however, evolved over time due to certain instances that sparked confusion.

FAQs

When does the Papal Conclave commence?
The Papal Conclave to choose the next pope was scheduled to begin on Wednesday, May 7, and may continue for 2-3 days. However, there is no official timeline for the process.

Where can audiences look out for white or black smoke?
The smoke can be spotted from the chimney at Sistine Chapel, announcing the decision after each round of voting.