Papal Transition Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the pope? The pope is the Catholic Church’s Bishop of Rome. Catholics believe that the pope is also the successor to the apostle Peter, the first pope, and possesses universal jurisdiction over the entire Catholic Church. More can be found here.
How does a person become pope? In the modern era, the pope is elected by a group of senior Catholic clergymen known as cardinals. These cardinals gather in Rome in what is called a conclave, where they meet in secret in the Sistine Chapel to cast votes to elect a pope.
What happens when a pope dies? A pope’s death creates an interregnum (a time in between papal reigns) and triggers a process that includes nine days of mourning followed by a conclave. This interregnum includes:
A formal declaration of the pope’s death by a senior clergyman known as the Camerlengo, who also manages the church during the interregnum and arranges the details of the papal funeral
The burial of the pope six days after his death
The gathering of the cardinals in Rome to begin a series of congregations (meetings) to reflect on the Church’s needs. Following these congregations, cardinal-electors (those under the age of 80) meet in conclave, sequestered from any contact with the outside world.
The formal beginning of the conclave no earlier than 15 days after the pope’s death. The start of the conclave may be delayed by the cardinals for good reason, but no later than 20 days after the pope’s death.
How does a conclave elect a new pope? A candidate must receive a two-thirds majority vote among the cardinal electors, then accept his election, to become pope. Also:
There is normally a single vote on the afternoon of the first day. If no pope is elected on the first vote, then
Four votes are held per day (two in the morning; two in the afternoon). If no pope is elected after 33 rounds, then
There is a run-off between the top two vote recipients.
Where else can I find details on the process of electing a new pope?
EWTN has a website on the papal interregnum here.
The Pillar Substack has a helpful explainer here.
Other descriptions of what happens when a pope dies can be found at the National Catholic Register and National Catholic Reporter.
About
The Church in the Modern World Substack is a project of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty. Acton’s mission is to promote a free and virtuous society, characterized by individual liberty and sustained by religious principles.
The Catholic Church is an important voice of moral authority in the modern world, and many of its anthropological and ethical teachings also find expression in the Acton Institute’s Core Principles.
The Acton Institute created this Substack to serve as a basic guide to what happens following a pope’s death, to provide Acton’s perspective on aspects of Pope Francis’s papacy, and to post reflections on how Acton’s core areas of concern—economics, natural law, anthropology, and government—intersect with the teachings of the Catholic Church.