How do you know that the pope has been chosen?

Answer 1

Selecting a New PopeOn February 11, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI announced he is resigning from his post effective February 28, 2013. This is the first time in more than 600 years a pope has abdicated. The next pope will be chosen in the same way previous popes have been chosen after one has died.

15 days after the previous Pope has died, or in this case resigned, the Camerlingo assembles the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City. There are usually 4 "favourites" known as the prefereti. And although any male from the Catholic Church can be elected it is usually reserved for Cardinals.

All potentials MUST be under 80. The offcial voting is done in a process called conclave liturally meaning "with key". The Cardinals (also non-voting cardinals and assistants to the cardinals may be inside conclave they are sworn to absolute secrecy) vote by secret ballot. Should the electoral process take more than a day, the cardinals have lodging at St. Martha's house. They are "sequestered" like a jury however, and have no contact with the outside world.

All ballots are burned and if the vote has elected a new pope, this burning causes white smoke to float above the Vatican, signifying the world has a new pope. If the vote is unsuccessful, water or a chemical is added to the burning ballots to cause gray smoke to appear. This signifies a vote without an election.

How a Papal Conclave works:

• A pope dies and is buried (or in the case of Benedict, resigns)

• The cardinals come to Rome for the conclave that will elect the new pope. The word conclave (Latin, cum • clavis, literally, "locked with the key") designates:

• The place in a locked section of the Vatican where the cardinals under the age of eighty elect a new pope.

• The actual gathering of the cardinals.

• The conclave begins 15 to 20 days after the pope's death.

• The cardinals pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit during a Mass

• The cardinals, sealed in the Sistine Chapel, vote every morning and afternoon.

• A two-thirds majority plus one is required for election for the first 30 ballots. After that, a simple majority is required.

• After each vote, they burn the ballots and add special chemicals to make the smoke white or black.

• Black smoke means no new pope yet.

• White smoke announces the election of a new pope.

• The cardinals may elect any fully initiated Catholic male over the age of 18.

• They ask the one elected if he accepts. If he is already a bishop, then the moment he accepts, he is pope. If he is not yet a bishop (ie, if he is only a priest, deacon, or layman) he will be ordained bishop and at that moment be pope.

• The pope chooses his "Papal" name.

• Then the new pope is announced to the world.

Answer 2

When the College of Cardinals has elected a new Pope they will burn the votes which will release white smoke. If they have not come to a decision they will add a chemical to the votes and it will burn gray smoke.

Answer 3

All able bodied members of the College of Cardinals under the age of 80 meet in a secret conclave in the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican. They pray and cast ballots until one cardinal has 2/3 of the votes. If he accepts the position he is then the next pope.

Answer 4

A new pope is chosen upon the death or resignation of the current pope. The conclave to elect the pope usually occurs 15-18 days after the current pope leave office

Answer 5

Do not know