It is called a papal conclave - a secret meeting of all Cardinal Electors in the Sistine Chapel.
The enclosure of the cardinals while electing a new pope is called a Conclave.
The College of Cardinals began electing the pope in the year 1059
Yes, the cardinals cast secret ballots when electing a new pope.
All cardinals under the age of 80 are responsible for electing the pope.
Three tellers are chosen by the cardinals in the conclave. Their job is to open, count and verify the ballots cast for the pope.
The smoke comes from burning the ballots in a stove in the Sistine Chapel.
No, the only tourist area in the Vatican that is closed at the death of a pope and election of a new one would be the Sistine Chapel.
They wait 14 days. The Camerlingo is basically in charge of the preciding of the ancient ritual of re-electing a new pope. He must organise the College of Cardinals and he is the only one who is allowed to 'check' whether the Pope is actually dead.
The process has undergone a number of changes over the years but the process of electing a new pope dates back to the death of Saint Peter nearly 2000 years ago.
Popes do not vote. It is the cardinals who elect a pope. Popes are usually dead at the time of an election or retired. In either case they would not be eligible to vote. The cardinals simply vote. After each ballot is cast, the top contenders are then subject to additional ballots until one of them emerges with 2/3 of the vote. If that cardinal accepts the position of pope, he is then declared the new pope.
Immediately below the Pope in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church are the cardinals. The primary responsibility of a cardinal is to elect a new pope when a pope dies or abdicates the papacy. However, they have many responsibilities. Cardinals form the Roman Curia, which is a whole group of administrators (Cardinal Prefects) - something like cabinet members who assist the president or department ministers who assist the prime minister.
While many of the Vatican's specific rites for electing a new Pope are kept tightly secret, it is known that a secret ballot system is indeed used, and that the new Pontiff must be elected by a simple majority.