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https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/07/briefing/conclave-what-to-know.html
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The process of picking the next pope starts in a few hours. I’m in Rome reporting about it. Today’s newsletter answers questions I keep hearing about how the Catholic Church selects Pope Francis’ successor.
How long does the conclave last?
As long as it takes! Church rules require two-thirds of the eligible cardinals to agree on a pick, which this time means the new pope needs to earn 89 votes. One conclave in the 13th century took nearly three years. Others took just one day. Pope Francis was elected on the second day and the fifth ballot. White smoke billows from the Sistine Chapel chimney when the cardinals reach a consensus.
What happens between votes?
Cardinals are sequestered. They can’t use cellphones, the internet, television or other pipelines to the outside world. Votes take a long time, as each cardinal walks to the front of the chapel to cast his ballot. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York told me he planned to bring a book — on Michelangelo — and read while he waits. In their downtime outside the Sistine Chapel, cardinals might talk with one another, pray or read. If they have not reached a consensus after four days, the cardinals get a day off, but remain sequestered.
What do the prelates eat?
They stay in isolation at Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse where Pope Francis lived, so they eat whatever the cafeteria prepares. The Vatican kitchen staff and other employees swear oaths of secrecy.
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What kind of pope do they want?
Different factions and individuals all have different priorities. Some want a pope who will prioritize tradition and interpret church teaching strictly, more in the style of John Paul II or Benedict XVI. Others may want another leader like Pope Francis. Georgia Bernhard, a reader from New York, asked The Morning if the church would pick “a similarly progressive, humanitarian pope.” That is one of the biggest questions of the conclave. The College of Cardinals is more diverse than ever. At the same time, popes all have their own characteristics and priorities. We will have a hint of what kind of papacy the next one might be when the new pope appears on the balcony.
