VATICAN CITY – On Wednesday, Roman Catholic cardinals (the people who help run the Church) will begin the process of choosing a new pope. They will go into a special meeting, called a conclave, and stay locked away from the world until they choose the person who will lead the Church.
This is an ancient tradition that has been happening since the Middle Ages. After a Mass (a special Church service), the cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel (a famous room in the Vatican). There, they will vote to pick the next pope, who will replace Pope Francis, who passed away last month.
It is rare for a new pope to be chosen on the first day of voting, so the cardinals might need several days to decide. They need to get at least two-thirds of the votes to pick someone as the new pope, which means many votes could be needed.
How Does the Voting Work?
On the first day, only one vote will happen. After that, the cardinals can vote up to four times a day.
If the votes don’t choose a new pope, black smoke will come out of a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. That means the cardinals haven’t made a decision yet. But when they do pick a pope, white smoke will come out, and the bells will ring, telling everyone that a new pope has been chosen!
What Are the Cardinals Looking For?
The cardinals have been talking about what they want in the new pope. Some of them want the new pope to keep the same ideas that Pope Francis had, like being open to new ideas and making changes to the Church. Others want a pope who will go back to the old ways and traditions.
There are 133 cardinals from 70 countries who will vote, which is more than the last time. This shows that the Church is growing around the world, especially in places that didn’t have many Catholics before.
Who Are the Top Candidates?
Some people think that Cardinal Pietro Parolin from Italy and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines are the two main people who could become pope. But if it looks like neither of them will win, the cardinals might vote for someone else, depending on their country, beliefs, or language.
Other people being considered are Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline from France, Cardinal Peter Erdo from Hungary, Cardinal Robert Prevost from the United States, and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from Italy.
Secrecy is Key
Like in the past, the cardinals cannot talk to anyone outside the Sistine Chapel during the conclave. The Vatican has set up special tools to make sure that no one can listen in on their discussions.
The last few times they’ve picked a pope, it took about 3 days, and none of them took longer than 5 days. The cardinals will want to finish quickly this time too so that it doesn’t look like the Church is having trouble making a decision.
What Will the Cardinals Consider?
The cardinals will think about many things while picking the new pope. For example, they will decide if they should choose a pope from South America, where there are many Catholics, or if they should pick someone from Europe, or even the United States, which would be a first.
Around 80% of the cardinals in the conclave were chosen by Pope Francis, so many people think that the next pope will probably continue with some of his ideas, even though some people want the Church to go back to its old ways.
This is a very important moment for the Church and the world, as the next pope will lead millions of people and make big decisions for the future.
