All eyes will be on a small chimney on the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel today as the Catholic Church’s most senior leaders meet to elect a successor to Pope Francis.
The vote takes place in secret inside the famous 15th century chapel with only the colour of the smoke revealing whether the new pontiff has been elected.
The ballots of the 133 voting cardinals are burned after each vote.
If the smoke from the chimney is black, it is a signal that no pope has been elected. If it’s white, then it’s Habemus Papam – a pope has been elected.
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Papal conclave: Black smoke emerges from Sistine Chapel, signalling no new pope elected
[ Conclave explained: A graphical guide to the election of a popeOpens in new window ]
The conclave to elect the church’s 267th pope begins at 3.30pm (Irish time) today when the 133 cardinal electors, all aged under 80, will gather.
Leading contenders to be the next pope are: former Archbishop of Manila, Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle (67); two Italians – the Vatican’s secretary of state Pietro Parolin (70) and the Archbishop of Bologna Cardinal Meteo Zuppi (69); Archbishop of Marseilles, Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline (66) from France; and Malta’s Cardinal Mario Grech (68).
The day will begin with Mass at St Peter’s Basilica, celebrated by Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re (91).
[ Six men who could become the next pope following the conclaveOpens in new window ]
All 252 members of the college, including those more than 80, have been meeting for discussions since the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday – four times before his funeral on April 26th and on eight occasions since the funeral.
The large number of meetings among the cardinals has led people to believe it may be a short conclave with the possibility of white smoke emerging by Thursday evening or Friday.
[ Conclave explained: A graphical guide to the election of a popeOpens in new window ]
Of the 133 voting cardinals, more than three-quarters (108) were appointed by Pope Francis. Despite his emphasis on creating cardinals in countries that did not have one before, Europe remains over-represented, with 53.
The voters do not include Ireland’s sole cardinal, former Catholic Primate Cardinal Seán Brady (85); he is above the voting age.
Though born and raised in Dublin, Cardinal Kevin Farrell (77) is designated a US cardinal since the greater part of his clerical career was spent there.
Of the remaining cardinal-electors, 37 are from the Americas, 23 from Asia, 18 from Africa and four from Oceania.
There will be no speeches or debate inside the Sistine Chapel during the votes, with the first vote this afternoon, followed by two on Thursday morning, with a further two ballots on Thursday afternoon, with a similar four ballots on Friday.
If there is no pope by Friday evening, the cardinals can take a rest day for prayer and reflection.
As illustrated in the film Conclave, each cardinal has before him a pen and a pile of ballot papers. They write their preferred name for pope, fold the paper in half and place it in a bronze urn before three scrutineers chosen from among them by lot.
The ballot papers are counted and recounted before being threaded with a needle into a bundle.
These are then burned in a stove and, if there is no result, chemicals are added to produce black smoke. If a pope has been elected, the chemicals turn the smoke white.
