Preparations for the election of a new pope intensified on Friday as firefighters installed the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, a traditional symbol in the Catholic Church’s centuries-old process of papal selection. The installation comes ahead of the May 7 conclave where 133 cardinals, all under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote, will gather to choose a successor to Pope Francis, who died on April 21.
The conclave will take place in the 15th-century chapel beneath Michelangelo’s iconic frescoes. Cardinals will cast their votes in secrecy, and results will be signaled to the public through colored smoke emitted from the chapel’s chimney — black for no decision, white to announce the election of a new pontiff. The ballots are burned in a special stove and chemicals are used to ensure the correct smoke color.
Cardinals have already begun daily meetings in Rome to deliberate on the challenges facing the Church’s next leader. Although any baptized male can technically be elected pope, the choice traditionally comes from among the cardinals. Among those widely discussed as potential frontrunners are Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, Cardinal Pietro Parolin of Italy, and Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana. However, as tradition reminds, the candidate most expected to win rarely does.
Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez, 82, speaking to reporters, reflected on the unpredictability of the conclave, recalling the unexpected rise of Pope Francis in 2013.
In St Peter’s Square, the sense of history was palpable, even if the installation of the chimney passed largely unnoticed. Tourists and pilgrims expressed a sense of awe, recognizing the gravity of the coming event. Glenn Atherton, a British visitor, described the occasion as a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience.
While 135 cardinals were initially expected to vote, two have withdrawn due to health reasons. The conclave will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, with all electors taking an oath of secrecy, under threat of excommunication. The voting process allows for one vote on the first evening, followed by four votes daily — two in the morning and two in the afternoon — until a candidate secures a two-thirds majority, which in this case is 89 votes.
The Vatican’s smoke signaling system has evolved over the years to avoid the confusion caused by grey smoke in the past. A refined chemical process introduced in 2005 ensures clear black or white signals. Two stoves are used inside the chapel, one for burning ballots and the other for the chemicals, both feeding a shared chimney.
The exact procedural details for next week’s conclave have not yet been officially confir
