The Vatican's Sacred Task: A Live Insight into the Papal Election Process
As the world turns its attention to the Vatican, the process to elect a new Pope unfolds quietly yet deliberately behind the doors of the Sistine Chapel. This historic event began early today, and while the excitement builds, there is a scheduled agenda to guide the conclave proceedings. At 4:00 AM, preparations kicked off for what many are eagerly anticipating—the election of the next spiritual leader of the Catholic Church.
A mass will start at 10 AM in St. Peter’s Basilica, setting the solemn tone for what’s to come. By 4:30 PM, 133 cardinals, all under the age of 80 and eligible to vote, will gather in the Sistine Chapel. The first round of voting is expected to ignite the air of anticipation later in the evening, with the first smoke signal projected around 7 PM.
In a decisive move to maintain secrecy and respect for the electoral process, the Vatican has temporarily shut down all mobile and telecommunications systems. Cardinals will also be required to leave their mobile phones behind when they enter the Sistine Chapel, ensuring that the deliberations remain confidential.
The cardinals will return to their accommodations at Santa Marta guesthouse after voting, where they will dine on simple fare—pasta with vegetables, a hint of meat, and fish—an appropriate reflection of both simplicity and reverence.
As the first day unfolds, what do we know about how the conclave will proceed? Voting will occur in two rounds each day—one in the morning and one in the afternoon—until a candidate garners the necessary two-thirds majority to become Pope. The cardinals, in an effort to maintain anonymity, will write their preferred choices on ballots that are designed to prevent recognition of handwriting.
Once the votes are counted by three election assistants, ballots will be strung together and burned in the oven situated in the Sistine Chapel. The smoke from this process will indicate the outcome of the voting: black smoke signifies failure to elect a Pope, while white smoke indicates success, famously declared with the words 'Habemus Papam'—'We have a Pope'.
The rhythm of the smoke signals is timed, with potential emissions scheduled at intervals around 10:30 AM, 12 PM, 5:30 PM, and 7 PM from Thursday onwards. Wednesday will feature the first round of voting, coinciding with the evening smoke expected at 7 PM.
The anticipation for the new Pope’s identity builds not only in the Vatican but around the globe as crowds gather in St. Peter’s Square. A red velvet curtain now adorns the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, a visible sign of the momentous occasion. To facilitate their reportage, numerous journalists have been accredited, marking notable milestones like the 1000th accreditation issue for the Süddeutsche Zeitung today.
Reporting live from Rome, Annette Zoch shares that the chimney, integral to the election signaling mechanism, is now in place, while large screens await to broadcast close-ups of the significant events as they happen. With heightened spirits in the air, the world awaits the moment when the red curtain will part, revealing the newly elected Pope to the masses.
With a coverage timeline in motion and the faithful watching closely, the Vatican stands ready to commence a new chapter in its storied history. The secrets of the conclave may be protected behind the hallowed walls, but the gravity of these proceedings is felt by many beyond them.
Related Sources: