Vatican Prepares For Papal Conclave; Chimney Installed On Sistine Chapel's Roof

The Vatican’s preparations for the upcoming papal conclave are underway as the chimney has been installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel that will signal the election of the 267th pope. The conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis will begin on May 7.

When a pope dies, the College of Cardinals chooses a successor. While there are 252 cardinals, the voting for a new Pope is limited to those under 80. The period between the death of a pope and the election of a new one is called the “sede vacante”, which means “the seat is vacant” in Latin, reported The New York Times. For the conclave, cardinals convene in the Sistine Chapel, where they reportedly take a secrecy oath and vote by secret ballot. To elect a new Pope, a two-thirds majority vote is required.

Cardinals vote repeatedly until a two-thirds majority is reached. After each vote, the ballot papers are burned in a stove along with an additive that produces a colour, and the smoke is released through the chimney. Thousands gathering in nearby St Peter’s Square will have a clear view of the chimney during the conclave. It is to be noted that if a pope has been elected, the smoke will be white. If not, it will be black. It took two days of voting to elect Pope Francis, while Benedict XVI was chosen on the fourth ballot, a day after the conclave started.