Can a woman be Pope? Who can become a Pope? Here is the mysterious way of choosing a new pope… The process is called… It involves…

Pope Francis breathed his last at the age of 88. Now a new Pope will now be elected by the cardinals. When the Pope dies or resigns, the rule of the Catholic Church goes to the College of Cardinals. Cardinals are bishops from around the world and Vatican officials, who are personally selected by the Pope. They are identified by their distinctive red robes. Let’s break down the process of the election of the Pope.

The position of the Pope began with St. Peter, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ. The Pope was initially elected by priests and worshippers, but later this responsibility was given to the College of Cardinals. To become Pope, it is necessary to get two-thirds of the votes. The practice of burning ballots lets the public know what has happened during the conclave. White smoke is a sign of a new Pope, while black smoke is a sign of unsuccessful ballots.

The election of the Pope is a very mysterious process. Great care is taken to maintain the secrecy of the conclave. It is believed that the election of the Pope is a very important process. This process ensures that the most qualified person is chosen to lead the Catholic Church. The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church and the spiritual leader of millions of Catholics around the world.

The College of Cardinals has 222 members, of which 120 are eligible to vote. The age limit for cardinals who can vote is 80 years. The conclave begins within 15 to 20 days of the departure of the previous pope. The cardinals are locked in the Sistine Chapel until a new pope is elected. It is very important to maintain the secrecy of the conclave.

When the papacy is vacant, cardinals hold several meetings in the Vatican, called General Assemblies. They discuss the needs and challenges facing the Catholic Church globally. They also prepare for the upcoming papal election, called a conclave. Decisions that only the pope can make, such as appointing bishops or convening a synod of bishops, are on hold until a new pope is elected.

According to information published on the United States Council of Catholic Bishops, four rounds of voting take place each day until a papal candidate receives two-thirds of the vote. In the past, 15 to 20 days after the papacy became vacant, cardinals would gather at St. Peter’s Basilica to invoke the Holy Spirit’s guidance in electing a new pope. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the conclave. They are known as cardinal electors. For the conclave, cardinal electors go to the Sistine Chapel and take an oath of absolute secrecy before the doors are closed.

The cardinals vote by secret ballot. One by one the cardinals go up to the painting of the ‘Last Judgment’ by Michelangelo, the great sculptor and painter of Italy, and pray. After this, they put the ballot paper folded twice into a large cup. Four rounds of voting take place every day until a candidate gets two-thirds of the votes. The result of each ballot is counted aloud and recorded by three cardinals designated as recorders.

If no one receives the required two-thirds of the votes to elect a pope, the ballots are burned with a mixture of chemicals in a stove near the chapel to produce black smoke. When a cardinal receives the required two-thirds of the votes, the Dean of the College of Cardinals asks him if he accepts his election. If he accepts, he chooses a pope’s name and puts on the pope’s robes before going to the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. The final round of ballots are burned with chemicals to produce white smoke to signal the world that a new pope has been elected. After this, the new pope is formally announced.

Whole process of election of Pope

The process of choosing a new pope has historically been difficult and time-consuming, but today it is relatively quick, in some cases taking place in a single day.

• Election of cardinals: When the position of pope is vacant, cardinals are elected. These are the highest-ranking clergy of the Catholic Church.
• Papal conclave: Cardinals hold a secret meeting in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, called the papal conclave.
• Voting: Conclave members vote via paper ballots, in which they write their preferred candidate.
• Two-thirds majority: To elect a new pope, a candidate must receive a two-thirds majority.
• Smoke signal: To declare the results of the voting, a temporary furnace is erected inside the Sistine Chapel, with a chimney that belches out smoke. Black smoke indicates that the election is still in process and no majority has been obtained. On the other hand, white smoke indicates that a successful election has taken place.
• Acceptance: When a two-thirds majority is reached, the new pope is asked if he accepts the election.
• Proclamation: Once the new pope accepts, he chooses his papal name and then puts on papal robes. The new pope is presented to the world from the loggia overlooking St Peter’s Square with the words ‘Habemus Papam’ (Latin for ‘we have a pope’).

Three cardinals are appointed to announce the results. These cardinals read the results of each ballot aloud. Only a man can become Pope.

Can a woman become pope?

No. As of now, no woman can become Pope as per the tradition of the Catholic Church. Women are also barred from becoming pastors or priests in the Catholic Church, which is necessary to become Pope. However, some time ago Pope Francis has allowed women to read and become readers of Holy Scripture, thereby increasing their role in the church. Women are not allowed to become pastors or priests in the Catholic Church. This tradition has been going on for centuries and is explained on the basis of theology and tradition. The Pope is elected by the College of Cardinals. The Pope must first be appointed as a bishop. Since women cannot become bishops, they cannot become Pope.

What’s the black and white smoke?

Until 2005, the Vatican used to mix things like mulch for white smoke and tar for black smoke into the ballot papers. In 2013, the Vatican reported that in 2005 they used a mixture of potassium chlorate, lactose and conifer resin for white smoke and potassium perchlorate, anthracene and sulfur for black smoke. In 2013, four puffs of black smoke were seen before the white smoke appeared. A few hours before the white smoke came out, a lone white seagull sat on top of the chimney. People considered this a good sign that the wait for a new Pope was about to end. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (the current Pope Francis) was elected to the post by his peers.

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