After Pope Francis’s death on April 21, the Vatican will now have a new task: selecting who will succeed the 12-year tenure of the bishop of Rome with the meeting of the conclave.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell confirmed Pope Francis’ death at the age of 88 early in the morning in a statement from the Vatican, there will be a period of mourning before the selection process involving the governing body of the Vatican and the 135 cardinals eligible to participate in the conclave.
Pope Francis was elected on March 13, 2013 during the completion of the conclave process. Voting only took two days to select the successor of Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned the same year.
Keep reading to find out when the conclave process will begin and background on the prestigious selection.
When will the conclave start?
The conclave will gather to select the new pope 15 to 20 days after the death of Pope Francis. In accordance with the rule, the conclave is expected to gather between May 6 and May 11.
Voting will take place exclusively in the Sistine Chapel, which remains sealed until voting has concluded “so that total secrecy may be ensured with regard to everything said or done there in any way pertaining, directly or indirectly, to the election of the Supreme Pontiff,” according to the Apostolic Constitution.
The conclaves must start after the “Novemdiales” period, Latin for “nine days,” in which a period of time is dedicated to mourning each pope after their death.
Who votes in the conclave?
Cardinals attends the Pro Eligendo Pontifice Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on March 12, 2013.Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis / Getty Images
The papal conclave is the gathering of the College of Cardinals. Cardinals are appointed by the pope and help with central church affairs, according to the Catholic News Agency.
There are specific restrictions in the College of Cardinals for who gets to vote for the papacy. Pope Paul VI’s Apostolic Constitution states that no bishop over the age of 80 can enter the conclave.
Of the 252 cardinals, only 135 are electors, 108 of whom were appointed by Pope Francis, according to the Vatican press office.
How long does voting for the Pope take?
Voting length for a new pope has varied and the conclave does not end until the selection of a new pope has been completed, meaning as much time as needed is granted.
Pope Francis waves from the window of St Peter’s Basilica’s balcony after being elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013 at the Vatican.Vincenzo Pinto/AFP / Getty Images
Voting for Pope Francis lasted two days after the conclave began. Pope Benedict’s conclave also lasted two days.
The longest conclave since the beginning of the 20th century happened in 1903, with the election of Pope Pius X taking five days to reach a conclusion.
The longest selection took two years and nine months with the election of Pope Gregory in the 13th century, and led to the formalization of the conclave process.
