Historic Papal Election Begins: 135 Cardinals Set to Choose Next Leader

A highly secretive and ancient tradition is about to unfold once again as the Catholic Church prepares to elect a new pope. In a process steeped in ritual and confidentiality, 135 Cardinal Electors those under the age of 80 will gather inside the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel for a conclave unlike any modern political election.

There will be no campaign rallies, no political ads, and no official candidates. In fact, the process is so secretive that the exact vote tallies will never be known: after each round of voting, the ballots are burned to ensure complete confidentiality. Only the color of the smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel black for no decision, white for a successful election will signal the outside world of the outcome.

Each day, the Cardinals may hold up to four rounds of voting. A two-thirds supermajority is required to elect the next leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics. The process will continue for as long as necessary, with Cardinals sworn under oath to strict secrecy.

This conclave will also reflect a Church that has grown more global and diverse under Pope Francis. Since his election in 2013, Francis made it a mission to decentralize the Church’s power from Europe and Rome, appointing cardinals from regions with fast-growing Catholic populations, such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America. As a result, the number of European Cardinal Electors has dropped below 40%, while representation from Asia has significantly expanded.

Notably, of the 135 Cardinal Electors set to vote, 108 roughly 80% were appointed by Pope Francis himself, ensuring that his vision for a more inclusive, outward-looking Church will continue to influence the future.

While speculation about potential successors is inevitable, experts caution that predictions are often unreliable. Among those being mentioned are Cardinal Péter Erdő of Hungary, regarded as a conservative voice, and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, seen as a more progressive figure. Yet history reminds observers to expect the unexpected; during the last conclave, Jorge Mario Bergoglio the future Pope Francis was barely mentioned before his surprise election.

With 72 countries represented among the Cardinal Electors, the world waits in anticipation for the white smoke that will signal the election of the next pope a decision that could shape the Catholic Church for generations to come.