Firefighters at the Vatican installed a chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel on Friday, marking the final preparations for the conclave where Catholic cardinals will select the next pope.
The election will take place on May 7, just over two weeks after the passing of Pope Francis, who led the Church for 12 years. This age-old tradition will once again capture global attention as the Church prepares to announce its next leader.
Cardinals under 80 years old from across the globe will gather inside the Sistine Chapel to begin the process. A total of 133 eligible cardinals are expected to vote. These cardinals, many of whom arrived in Rome days ago, have been meeting privately to discuss the challenges and needs of the Church. The conclave will be held behind closed doors, as required by Catholic law, and all cardinals must take an oath of secrecy before the voting begins.
Voting will start Tuesday afternoon. On the first day, only one round of voting is scheduled. From the second day onward, two votes will take place in the morning and two more in the afternoon. If no candidate receives the required two-thirds of the vote, the process continues. Ballots are burned after each session. The smoke produced signals the outcome: white smoke means a new pope has been elected; black smoke means the process is still ongoing.
The selection will happen inside the 15th-century chapel, known for Michelangelo’s famous ceiling frescoes. Special stoves and chemical mixtures are used to create clear smoke signals, preventing the confusion seen in past elections. Two stoves will be used—one to burn ballots and another to generate the correct color smoke.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin from Italy, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines, and Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana are among those often mentioned as possible successors. However, papal elections are unpredictable. In past conclaves, front-runners have often lost to lesser-known figures, and some experts believe this time may be no different.
Pope Francis, the Church’s first Latin American leader, was known for his push for reform and simplicity. The cardinals now face the task of choosing someone who can guide the Church through today’s complex world. Issues such as modern governance, internal unity, and global outreach are likely to be major factors in the decision.
Tourists and pilgrims have been arriving in St Peter’s Square, some unaware of the chimney being installed. For many, witnessing this process in Rome feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As the world watches the chapel’s thin metal chimney, the anticipation continues to build. The ancient ritual will soon deliver a new leader for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.