General knowledge · Religion & belief

The papal conclave

rules laid down 1274; held in the Sistine Chapel since 1878

Catholicism — how a pope is chosen

The locked meeting at which the cardinals of the Catholic Church elect a new bishop of Rome. The name comes from the Latin cum clave, "with a key": after an election at Viterbo dragged on for nearly three years, Gregory X ruled in 1274 that the electors should be shut in and put on short rations until they agreed. Since 1878 the voting has taken place in the Sistine Chapel, with the ballots burnt after each round — black smoke for no result, white for a decision.

How to spot them

▸Cum clave, 'with a key' — the electors are sealed in
▸Only cardinals under 80 may vote; a two-thirds majority is needed
▸Fumata nera and fumata bianca — black smoke, then white, from the chapel roof
▸'Habemus Papam', announced from the loggia of St Peter's by the cardinal protodeacon

Key facts

From the Latin cum clave, 'with a key' — the electors are locked in until they decide

The practice was formalised by Gregory X at the Second Council of Lyon in 1274

Nearly three years at Viterbo, until the townspeople cut the rations and took the roof off (1268)

1268–1271, the longest in history; it produced Gregory X, who then wrote the rules

Ballots burnt after each round: dark smoke for no decision, white for a result

Since 2005 chemical cartridges are added to make the colour unambiguous, and bells are rung as well

The senior cardinal deacon steps onto the balcony of St Peter's and says 'Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum'

The protodeacon's announcement, ending 'Habemus Papam'

Paul VI's rule of 1970 stopped cardinals voting once they have turned eighty (1970)

Ingravescentem aetatem; the number of electors is normally capped at 120

The successful man is asked whether he accepts, and by what name he wishes to be called

'Acceptasne electionem…?' — he then changes into white in the Room of Tears

Two days and four ballots in May 2025 produced the first pope born in the United States (2025)

Robert Francis Prevost, an Augustinian and a Peruvian citizen, took the name Leo XIV

The vote of October 1978 ended 455 years of Italian popes (1978)

Karol Wojtyla became John Paul II; the last non-Italian before him was Adrian VI, elected 1522

Key ideas

The choice is not formally restricted to cardinals — in principle any baptised Catholic man may be elected — but the last pope chosen from outside the College was Urban VI in 1378.

Quick-fire facts

•Conclave comes from Latin cum clave, 'with a key'
•The 1268–71 election at Viterbo, the longest ever, ran nearly three years; Gregory X responded with the conclave rules of 1274
•Only cardinals who have not reached their 80th birthday may vote, under Paul VI's Ingravescentem aetatem of 1970
•A two-thirds majority of those voting is required
•Voting has been held in the Sistine Chapel since 1878, and exclusively there since 1996
•The governing law is John Paul II's apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis of 1996, amended by Benedict XVI
•Black smoke (fumata nera) signals no election, white smoke (fumata bianca) a successful one; bells are also rung to remove doubt
•The cardinal protodeacon announces the result from the loggia with the formula 'Habemus Papam'
•Benedict XVI's resignation in 2013 was the first by a pope since Gregory XII in 1415
•The conclave of 7–8 May 2025, with 133 of the 135 eligible electors present, elected Robert Prevost on the fourth ballot; he took the name Leo XIV

Drill it — 8 cards

1 / 8new card

Sources

Pope John Paul II, Holy See — Universi Dominici Gregis (apostolic constitution on the vacancy of the Apostolic See)
Holy See — The Holy Father