Isolation in the Vatican, the cardinals will only leave the headquarters of the Catholic Church after elementing the 267th Pontiff
The 133 cardinals with voting rights began this Wednesday (7.MAI.2025) The Conclave, the process of choosing the new Pope. Isolated in the Vatican, the members of the Cardinal College will only leave the headquarters of the Catholic Church after electing the 267th Pontiff.
At 5am (Brasília time), it was the day. During the homily, Cardinal Dean Giovanni Battista re.
At 11:30 am, the cardinals gathered in the Paulina Chapel, inside the Basilica of St. Peter, to pray the litany of all saints. They then walked to the Sistine Chapel and took an oath of fidelity to the process of absolute confidentiality.
After the oath, the traditional order was made “Outside all” – which determines the departure of all those not involved in the conclave. Then the Sistine Chapel was locked by Cardinal Dean Giovanni Battista Re to start the vote on the choice of the new Pope. The first round is expected to be completed at 14h (Brasília time).
They are needed from the votes for a cardinal to become Pope. And there is no limit of voting. The cardinals will be in the Sistine Chapel until they reach a consensus on Pope Francis’ successor,
The Vatican transmitted the moment when the cardinals pray the litany of all saints and the oaths. Now the façade of the Sistine Chapel is displayed. It will be possible to track the results of the vote by indicating the smoke that will come out of the chimney – which will be one in the late morning and one at the end of the day if it is black, or even in the middle of the morning or mid -afternoon, if the white smoke.
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About 200 rooms were prepared in two guest homes. The rooms will have a bed, a bedside table and a closet. Windows that give a look at external places of the palace are also being temporarily closed to prevent cardinals from being affected by external elements to the conclave.
From the 2nd day of Conclave, the cardinals vote 4 times a day: two in the morning and two in the afternoon (at Rome). The Sistine Chapel will be closed for visitation during the period.
After counting the votes, all banknotes are burned at the end of each round. The color of smoke indicates the result. If it is black, there was no definition; If it is white, a new Pope was elected. Chemicals are used to give the desired color.
The cardinals will repeat the oath before each shift and, if there is no choice until Sunday (11.MAI), process can be suspended for prayer and free discussion among voters. Then, if necessary, there will be up to 10 days of voting, 4 per day. There may be pauses and speeches of cardinals every 7 sessions.
After the 33rd or 34th vote (the Vatican does not clarify the criterion), the process goes to the 2nd round. Only the 2 most voted cardinals dispute, similar to that held in the Brazilian elections for the positions of President, Governor and Mayor. At this stage, the need for 2/3 of the votes is maintained.
There is no determined time for the conclave. It can last several days or even weeks. For the definition of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, or Francis, as a Holy Father, the voters took 2 days. The last 5 conclaves did not exceed 3 days of voting. , in the year 1268.
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There is no official research on the intention to vote for the cardinals or the preference among the faithful. Specialized newspapers, however, prepare a list of the most “Purable”. And some names are stamped stickers.
The Italian Pietro Parolin, number 2 of Francisco and Vatican Secretary of State from 2013 to 2025, leads the bets. At 70, he will also chair the conclave for being the oldest cardinal under 80.
Another 3 Italian cardinals appear with good chances: Pierbattista Pizzaballa (60 years), Matteo Zuppi (69) and Fernando Filoni (79). The 1st, head of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, is welcomed to act in an important region for the Church and his youth. Francisco, for example, took over the 76 -year -old papacy.
Filipino Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, 67, also emerges as a strong candidate. Francisco’s ally has been seen for years as Francisco’s natural successor to continue the reforms of the Argentine Pontiff.
From Asia to Africa, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo (65), from the Democratic Republic of Congo, may be the 1st black to lead the Catholic Church. Like Parolin, Ambongo was part of the select Cardinian Council, a consultative group created by Francisco. On the other hand, the African has more conservative positions than Jorge Bergoglio, as opposed to the blessing of same -sex couples.
The favorite in the conservative current of the Church is Hungarian Peter Erddo (72). Cardinal raised by Pope John Paul 2nd in 2003, is regarded as an experienced diplomat and polyglot.
Other names highlighted by the international media are Charles Maung Bo (Myanmar, 76), José Tolentino de Mendonça (Portugal, 59) and Jean-Marc Noël Aveline (France, 66). Nevertheless, any of the 133 cardinals can appear on the Basilica of St. Peter as the 267th Pope.
The New Pope
When a cardinal is elected Pope, he chooses his papal name and is presented to the public with the announcement “Pope” —The Latin “We have a Pope”. The complete ad is: “I declare your great joy, we have a pope!”which in translation into Portuguese means: “I announce you a great joy: we have a Pope”.
According to the list of the site, a total of 12 cardinals are among the favorites to succeed Pope Francis. None of them are Brazilian, nor South American. Get to know this in this report of Poder360.
Despite the list, the process can keep surprises. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, for example, was not among the favorites to succeed Bento 16, because at age 76 he was considered too old for the post.
After the announcement, the new Holy Father assumes his duties in ceremony and inauguration mass in São Pedro Square. Faithful and authorities participate.
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