By Nola Sommer and Madelyn Field

Unbeknownst to everyone at the time of the movie release, we are all currently living in the situation of the 2025 Oscar-nominated movie “Conclave.” With the recent death of Pope Francis, the morning after Easter, an election for a new pope will soon commence. But, how are popes elected and how long does it take?

Pope Francis, aged 88, was said to have passed away Monday morning due to a stroke. He was the pope for 12 years, elected in 2013. But, before his predecessor is chosen and elected, there will be a 9-day mourning period called the “novendiales.” The election will begin about six to 11 days after this mourning period. 

During the voting period– known as the conclave, Vatican City gets very secure, with cardinals unable to communicate with anyone outside of where the voting takes place. The cardinals are bishops and Vatican officials who serve as the pope’s counselors, distinguished by their red robes. While there are 250 cardinals, only 120 cardinals vote, but it is unclear how they are chosen. 

Voters place their ballots in urns and they are counted by three randomly-chosen cardinals. The votes are read out loud in front of all the cardinals and are recorded. This continues until one candidate receives two-thirds of the vote. 

Citizens are only kept up-to-date through the use of smoke signals made by the burning of the ballots. If white smoke appears, it means the cardinals have chosen a new pope; black smoke means another round of voting is needed. 

Once the signal shows white smoke, the dean of the College of Cardinals asks the elect if they accept the title– if he says yes, he is dressed and renamed with a papal name. He then walks out to the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and the senior cardinal deacon states, “Habemus Papam,” which translates to “we have a pope.”

While we know Pope Leo XIV was selected as the newest Pope, here were some other candidates who were frontrunners for the Papacy. Candidates ranged from those who wished to uphold Pope Francis’ kind and virtuous legacy to those who planned on returning the papacy to more traditional Catholic values. 

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, aged 70 and from Italy, dutifully served as Pope Francis’ chief advisor throughout his Papacy. From a diplomat of the Holy See to a cardinal, Parolin is seen as a moderate progressive within the Catholic Church. While he is among the more liberal of the cardinals, he has spoken out against issues such as the legalization of same-sex marriage. If chosen, he would have been the first Italian pope in 40 years. Parolin has been accused of mishandling a child sex abuse claim within the Catholic Church.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, aged 67 and from the Philippines, is known for his sympathy towards social issues, even going as far as to ask the Church to reconsider its stance on gay people, divorcees, and single mothers. His similarity to the late Pope earned him the name “Asian Francis.” He was even a candidate for Pope back in 2013, when Francis was elected. Critics of the cardinal say he could be stricter when it comes to abuse perpetrators.

Funk Band guitarist turned Cardinal, Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson was a potential frontrunner for the Papacy. Cardinal Turkson, 76 years old and from Ghana, would be the first African Pope in 1,500 years if elected. While seen as more conservative, he has spoken against the practice of criminalizing gay relationships, saying it should not be treated as an offense. In 2012, he was accused of fear-mongering when he predicted to the Vatican about the spread of Islam in Europe.

(Courtesy of the Sistine Chapel)

(Courtesy of Britannica)