US EditionChoosing the next pope: How the Vatican makes its smoke signal
- Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, 133 cardinal electors will convene in Vatican City starting May 7 to select his successor.
- This conclave arises after a formal mourning period and the Novemdiales ritual, amid a more culturally diverse College of Cardinals than in previous elections.
- Cardinals will vote inside the Sistine Chapel by secret ballot requiring a two-thirds majority, signaling results through black or white smoke emitted from the newly installed chimney.
- Prominent cardinals like Christoph Schönborn and Walter Kasper emphasize continuing Francis's reforms, while betting markets predict the election possibly concluding on May 9 after potentially a longer conclave.
- The election outcome remains uncertain, but the general consensus prioritizes maintaining the direction set by Francis amid an unprecedented number of international cardinal participants.
31 Articles
31 Articles
He knows the secret of the white smoke from the Vatican chimney
Soon, white puffs of smoke will rise from the Sistine Chapel chimney to signal that a new pope has been elected. Pyrotechnician Massimiliano de Sanctis and his colleagues have previously delivered the smoke system to the Vatican.
Chemistry behind the smoke signal transmitted during the pope's election. Why does the Vatican use this method?
When the Catholic Church elects a new pope, the world does not expect a press conference or a social conference, but the smoke rising from a small corner of the Sixtine Chapel.
When to look for smoke from the conclave in Chicago time, the traditional signal a new pope is chosen
The conclave, the sacred process where cardinals gather to elect a new pope, is set to begin Wednesday in Vatican City. The centuries-old process has many traditions, including the smoke. Since the vote is secret, the cardinals send up smoke to alert the public when a new pope has been chosen. In order to be elected, a candidate must receive two-thirds of the votes. If a vote takes place and a candidate does not gain the required two-thirds vote…
This is the Vatican bank: profits, customers, assets, investments and an ex of Santander in the direction
The Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), better known as the Vatican Bank, was one of the first concerns of Pope Francis when he acceded to the papacy in 2013. The last pontiff completed the path initiated by his predecessor Benedict XVI, to introduce in this institution the best practices of management and transparency of international banking. This resulted, among other measures, in the signing by the Holy See of two agreements in tax matter…
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