The process to elect the next head of the Catholic Church is about to begin.
More than 100 church leaders will enter the Sistine Chapel today to vote in the secret ‘conclave’ that will result in a new Pope.
Here’s what we know about how it works.
The Pope
Catholics believe the Pope is God’s representative on Earth, and that any official declarations by the Pope cannot be wrong because they come through him from God.
The role has existed since the earliest days of the Church.
Today, the Pope is the head of state of Vatican City, a city-state inside Rome.
Conclave
The next Pope will be selected by the College of Cardinals. While any Catholic man can become Pope under Church law, in practice, only members of the College are nominated.
Cardinals are senior advisors to the Pope, chosen by him and his predecessors from around the world.
During the conclave, members of the College will not be allowed to speak to anyone in the outside world.
Voting takes place in the Sistine Chapel until one cardinal secures a two-thirds majority of votes. The process typically takes days.
At the end of each round, the world is told whether or not the College has reached a consensus through different colours of smoke, produced partly by the ballots being burned.
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If the cardinals have not elected a new pope, black smoke is sent into the sky. If they have chosen a pope, white smoke is sent up.
A cardinal will then appear on a balcony at St Peter’s Basilica and announce the Latin phrase “habemus papam” — “we have a pope”.
Next steps
Following the announcement, the new Pope will appear on the balcony to gathered crowds of Catholics and the press.
He will take a new name representing how he plans to approach the role. For example, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio became Pope Francis I because he said he wanted to emulate Saint Francis of Assisi’s care for the poor.
Popes can take the same name as previous pontiffs, adding a Roman numeral. For example, if the new Pope takes the name John, he will be John XXIV (the 24th).
Contenders
While it’s impossible to know the actual frontrunners because the conclave is secret, international media outlets have proposed some possibilities.
Cardinal Luis Tagle, former archbishop of Manila, is considered the closest to Francis in terms of social justice and Church
leadership. The 67-year-old would be the first Pope from anywhere in East Asia.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, was Francis’ second-in-command. He previously worked as a Church diplomat, negotiating key agreements.
Cardinal Péter Erdő, the archbishop of Budapest, is a conservative who worked effectively with the progressive Francis. The 72-year-old has strong connections with European and African bishops.
Cardinal Peter Turkson, a senior official from Ghana, is considered slightly less conservative than other African cardinals. If elected, the 76-year-old would be the first pope from the continent since the Roman Empire.
