Death of Pope Francis sparks Catholic Church's search for next pope

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Death of Pope Francis sparks Catholic Church's search for next pope

Published: 22 Apr. 2025, 13:21

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel before the start of the conclave at the Vatican on March 12, 2013. [AFP/YONHAP]

With the death of Pope Francis on Monday, the Catholic Church now faces the task of selecting a new spiritual leader. The process, steeped in centuries of tradition, is known as the conclave — a unique and secretive electoral system that has long fascinated observers around the world.

Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the conclave. This time, 138 such cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel, the iconic Vatican site adorned with Michelangelo’s "Creation of Adam," to cast their ballots. Voting continues until one candidate receives two-thirds of the vote, with no time limit imposed. The process is repeated as many times as necessary.

As in past conclaves, faithful Catholics and curious onlookers will crowd St. Peter’s Square, watching for the signal that a new pope has been chosen. After each round of voting, smoke billows from a chimney atop St. Peter’s Basilica. Black smoke means no decision has been reached. White smoke announces the election of a new pope.

Once the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel, the doors are locked from the outside — a tradition dating back centuries. The term conclave itself comes from the Latin cum clavis, meaning “with a key,” symbolizing the physical locking of the chamber until a new pontiff is chosen.

The origins of the conclave trace back to the turbulent politics of the Middle Ages. The first recorded papal conclave took place in 1241, during a period marked by civil unrest and political interference in church affairs. Following the death of Pope Gregory IX, a powerful Roman nobleman, Matteo Rosso, forcibly confined the cardinals in a crumbling building to hasten the election.

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, famous for Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam” [JOONGANG PHOTO]

The extreme conditions led to the death of one cardinal during the process. Despite the tragedy, voting continued — and though a new pope was eventually chosen, he died just 17 days later. The papacy then remained vacant for two years.

In another infamous episode during the 13th century, a deadlocked conclave dragged on for three years. Local authorities, desperate for a resolution, locked the cardinals in, removed the roof of the building, and restricted their food to bread and water — a practice that remains in canon law today should deliberations become prolonged.

While modern conclaves are far more organized and humane, the process retains its air of mystery and solemnity. As the College of Cardinals prepares to enter seclusion, the world will once again watch and wait for the signal — a puff of white smoke rising above the Vatican skyline, heralding the arrival of a new leader for the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.