How Is a New Pope Chosen?
On March 13, 2013, the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, appeared for the first time as Pope Francis, the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church. Following his death on April 21, 2025, the church turned once again to an ancient tradition that’s been in place for centuries: the election of a new pope.
There were some novelties associated with Pope Francis’ ascension to Bishop of Rome: He was the first pope from the Americas, as well as the first to assume the name of Francis. He was also the rare pope to take charge while his predecessor was still alive, after an aging Benedict XVI became the first pontiff in nearly 600 years to voluntarily resign.
But for all the unusual components of his particular case, Francis’ assumption of the papacy still adhered to the traditions of the church — some that are relatively new and others that have been faithfully followed for centuries. Here’s a look at exactly how the Catholic Church elects a new pope.
The Process of Voting Began in the Middle Ages
The origins of papal elections are a little murky. Some evidence suggests that St. Peter, generally considered the first pope, designated a group of two dozen priests and deacons to name his successor. Other sources say that the second pope, Linus, was elected from a pool of neighboring bishops and the Roman clergy.
After Roman Emperor Constantine I legitimized the spread of Christianity in Rome in the early fourth century, subsequent generations of European monarchs sought to influence control over the increasingly influential post of bishop of Rome. This was exemplified by the actions of the Holy Roman Emperors Otto III and Henry III, who installed a combined half-dozen popes during their respective reigns in the late 10th and mid-11th centuries.
The first step toward the modern voting process came in 1059, when Pope Nicholas II decreed that only cardinal-bishops would be allowed to select a pope. Another major change came in 1274, when Pope Gregory X codified the “conclave” system that required voters to be sequestered until a new pope was chosen — a system still used today.
Later pontiffs continued to modify the rules as they saw fit. In 1970, Pope Paul VI determined that only cardinals below the age of 80 were eligible to vote, and in 1975, he established a maximum number of electors at 120.
While some form of a two-thirds voting majority has been required since 1179, Pope John Paul II decreed in 1996 that the winner could be determined by a simple majority after about 12 or 13 days of deadlocked voting. His successor, Benedict XVI, reintroduced the full two-thirds vote to prevent blocs from holding on to a 50% majority until the time when that percentage would be enough to decide the election.
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The Secret Conclave System
Nowadays, after the death or resignation of a pope, the designated cardinals — including bishops and other church officials — are summoned to the Vatican. When all confirmed electors are accounted for, the conclave commences with the sequestering of cardinals in the Sistine Chapel. All phones, televisions, and communications with the outside world are removed, with only two doctors and select members of the Vatican staff permitted to enter the secure premises.
On the first day of the conclave, the cardinals celebrate Mass in the morning before proceeding to the chapel, where they have the option of holding a single round of voting in the afternoon. For this process, the most junior elector randomly selects the names of nine colleagues: three “scrutineers” to record the votes, three “infirmarii” to collect the ballots from any sick cardinals confined to their quarters, and three “revisers” to check the work of the others.
Each of the voters receives a ballot with the printed words Eligio in Summum Pontificem ("I elect as Supreme Pontiff") and a space to enter their choice. Instructed to write in a manner that does not clearly identify the voter, and forbidden from casting a vote for themselves, the electors then fold the paper twice so the name is concealed. Any baptized Roman Catholic man can be elected pope, although it's been a cardinal every time since 1379.
Each cardinal brings his ballot to an urn at the altar, and repeats the oath in Latin, which translates to, "I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who, before God, I think should be elected."
After all the cardinals have taken their turn, the designated scrutineers count the ballots to make sure the number corresponds with the known number of electors. One of them then reads the names on each ballot out loud, and pierces each page with a needle through the word Eligio (“I elect”) to collect the ballots on a single thread.
On all but the first day, when voting begins in the afternoon, a failure to elect a pope in one round of voting is immediately followed by a second round. From that point forward, two successive rounds can be held during the morning session, with up to two more held in the afternoon.
If no winner emerges after successive rounds, the ballots are burned in a stove in the back of the chapel with a chimney that reveals the results to the outside world. Except for on the first day when there's just one round of voting, the burning happens after the conclusion of two voting rounds in the morning, and again after two rounds in the afternoon. The activation of a cartridge releases chemicals that produce black smoke, a signal that the election remains ongoing.
The Winner Adopts His New Name
On the other hand, if a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote, that outcome will be signaled with white smoke from the burning ballots.
Once a two-thirds vote is achieved, the winner is asked whether he accepts the results, and what name he wishes to adopt as pope. He then receives the homage of his former fellow cardinals and is taken to be fitted for his papal robes in the Vatican’s Room of Tears, a small chamber next to the Sistine Chapel.
The new pontiff is then introduced to the world with an appearance on the balcony over St. Peter’s Basilica, a continuation of the chain of command that began when the building’s namesake was said to have accepted the enormous responsibility some two millennia ago.
