Cardinals in Rome: Is the conclave for choosing the Pope at the door?

Cardinals in Rome: Is the conclave for choosing the Pope at the door?

This Monday, April 28, 2025, the cardinals of the Catholic Church meet in Rome to advise on the choice of a new Pope. This meeting, which has been seen as the fifth general congregation since the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, begins at 9:00 a.m. The exact number of participating cardinals is still unclear. Cardinals have gathered in the Vatican before the funeral service and burial, while the beginning of the actual conclusion has not yet been determined. However, this could take place on May 5th or 6th, such as vienna.at reported.

The death of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88, presents the Catholic Church with the challenge of choosing a successor. This procedure, known as the conclave, means "with key" and refers to the secret assembly of cardinals, which are completed by the outside world in order to protect independence and confidentiality. Historically, cardinals were physically enclosed, but today this only happens symbolically. During the compliance, the cardinals provide an oath for secrecy and take part in secret elections to choose their new leader, such as Br.de supplemented.

electoral procedure and time frame

The election process includes several electoral programs, of which one takes place on the first day, followed by up to four electoral groups on the following days. A candidate needs a two -thirds majority for the choice. Paying and discussing between the electoral courses; Official campaign speeches are not permitted here. The ballot papers are burned after each choice, whereby black smoke means that no pope has been chosen, while white smoke signals the successful choice of a new Pope.

The conclave can begin between two and three weeks after the Pope's death, but at the earliest on the 15th day after death, which could fall on May 6, 2025, and at the latest on the 20th day, i.e. on May 11, 2025. Only cardinals under 80 are allowed to take part in this election. Currently, 135 cardinals are entitled to vote, which exceeds the upper limit, which was set to 120 to ensure an insightful and regulated choice. From Germany, three cardinals have the right to participate: Reinhard Marx, Rainer Maria Woelki and Gerhard Ludwig Müller.

A look into the history of the Pope elections

The practice of the pope election has developed over centuries and was reformed particularly in the 20th century. Early elections were often shaped by great power struggles between kings and power doors. The term “conclave” comes from the practice of locking cardinals in order to achieve a faster choice. Historical events such as the election of Coelestin IV, which lasted two months, show the challenges of the election process in the course of history. In Viterbo 1268, the cardinals were even enclosed for so long that the citizens kept the outputs and covered the roof to force the choice, as kosmo.at

The relevance of confidentiality still remains of central importance today, since cardinals must not have contact with the outside world. Digital transmissions of the conclave are strictly prohibited for confidentiality reasons. The process of choice of pope remains a closely linked symbol of the spiritual and organizational structure of the Catholic Church, which has to deal with the current situation around the late Pope Francis.