Unlocking the Conclave

On May 7, in the smallest country in the world (Vatican City), 135 cardinals will vote to elect the head of the Catholic Church, who will represent 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. When they step into the Sistine Chapel, sealed away from the rest of the world, they will partake in the process of conclave—the mysterious and official practice of electing a pope that has been the tradition of the Church for nearly eight hundred years. The process of selecting the next Vicar of Christ has evolved considerably since the founding of the Church. Its purposeful secrecy heightens the anticipation as the world waits to see plumes of white smoke, the first visible sign that there is a new pope. Throughout the Church’s history, episodes of infighting, intrigue, curious name selection, and other elements of conclave have heightened modern curiosity about what exactly happens once the College of Cardinals convenes.