The late Pope Francis, the first Latin American catholic leader who led the church for 12 years, was buried on Friday, five days after he died.
His funeral was held in St. Peter’s Square before about 400,000 people, comprising mourners, royalty, dignitaries, and politicians.
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With the conclusion of the funeral, the Catholic Church has entered a period of transition known as sede vacante – the vacant seat.
The unofficial conclave has also already begun. The official conclave, a centuries-old tradition for electing a new pope, will officially commence in the coming weeks.
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By rule, any baptised Catholic man can be elected. However, in practice, the pope is almost always chosen from among the cardinals present at the conclave. Only cardinals are allowed to vote, and only those under age 80 are qualified to be present.
This has been the case for centuries.
The NY Post reported that cardinals present at Pope Francis’ funeral have begun having informal discussions and sessions about the future leader of the church. Like the rest of the world, the cardinals are curious themselves, but nothing is known yet.
However, this is how the election process will unfold.
Novemdiales
The death of the 88-year-old pope has set centuries-old machinery into motion within the Roman Catholic Church. But first, his death will be followed by a nine-day mourning period called Novemdiales.
During Novemdiales, masses are offered for the repose of the late pope’s soul. This period also allows the College of Cardinals to prepare for the upcoming conclave.
Conclave
The conclave is expected to commence 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death and sooner if all the voting cardinals are in Rome.
A conclave is a secret meeting where Catholic cardinals gather to elect a new pope. Out of a total of 252 cardinals, only 135 are under 80 years old and eligible to vote. This group will be housed in the Casa Santa Marta, where Pope Francis had lived, and will cast their ballots in the Sistine Chapel, in the Apostolic Palace in Rome.
During the conclave, the cardinals are not allowed to communicate with anyone outside until a pope has been elected.
Also, the priests, secretaries, cooks, and doctors assisting during the election must swear an oath of secrecy.
The conclave election
The election for a new pope begins with a special morning Mass. At noon, the cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel to take an oath of secrecy.
Once every cardinal has taken the oath, the master of ceremonies says “Extra omnes” — meaning “everyone out” — and all non-cardinals leave the chapel.
Voting by secret ballot begins right after. The cardinals fold a ballot paper twice, say a prayer, and cast their vote in a container. To win, a candidate must get two-thirds of the votes.
Votes are cast once on the first day. However, two rounds are held each morning and afternoon from the day after the first until a pope is elected.
After each round, the ballots are burned. Smoke rises from a chimney above the chapel: black smoke means no pope yet; white smoke means a new pope has been chosen.
According to media reports, special chemicals are added to the smoke to make it appear black or white.
Once a man is elected, the dean of the cardinals asks him if he accepts the office. If he says yes, he chooses the name he will use as pope.
The new pope then puts on a white robe, greets the cardinals, and steps out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. There, a senior cardinal announces in Latin: “Habemus papam” — “We have a pope.”
Key contenders
Meanwhile, as the Church prepares for a new pope, attention is turning to a few key contenders. With 80 per cent of the cardinals appointed by Pope Francis himself, this conclave is the most diverse in the church’s history.
This has significantly contributed to the unpredictability of the voting outcome.
Still, several cardinals stand out due to their leadership, experience, theological stance, and network.
Several reports have highlighted Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Italy as a strong possibility. Mr Zuppi is said to have built a reputation as a peacemaker and represents a continuation of Pope Francis’s leadership approach.
Similarly, Cardinal Peter Erdo, the archbishop of Budapest, Hungary, is also considered a top contender. The 72-year-old is regarded as a traditionalist and is on the conservative side of the European cultural divide.
Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana is also a major figure from Africa. He is the first Ghanaian to be appointed a cardinal, a distinction he received in 2003 under Pope John Paul II. Like many cardinals from Africa, he holds conservative views, but he has opposed the criminalisation of same-sex relationships in his native Ghana and other African countries.
While the cardinal is among the shortlists for the next pope, clerics have said the odds are against Africa producing the next pope.
Additionally, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, is a top contender. The 70-year-old is the second-in-command at the Vatican and is regarded as a moderate who, if elected, could repair rifts inside the church.
READ ALSO: Pope Francis buried
Reinhard Marx, a German cardinal and Archbishop of Munich and Freising, is also considered a contender. For 10 years, he advised the pope on Church reform and continues to oversee the Vatican’s financial reform.
The 71-year-old cardinal is considered a progressive and has advocated that the church adopt an accommodating approach towards homosexuals or transgender people in Catholic teaching.
Other names include Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines, known for his communication skills and his close connection to the Vatican’s current mission, and Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg, who is active in Church reforms.
The conclave will unfold over the coming weeks, and while several cardinals are emerging as likely candidates, the outcome remains uncertain.
