To become pope, a man must first be a baptized Catholic and meet certain requirements, but the process is highly specific and traditionally involves rising through the ranks of the Catholic Church hierarchy:

• Requirements to be eligible : The pope must be a male Catholic, at least 35 years old, and typically has studied theology, canon law, or related fields. While technically any baptized Catholic male can be elected pope, in practice, the pope is almost always chosen from among the cardinals, who are senior church officials

• Typical career path :
  1. Become a priest after completing extensive education and seminary training.
  2. Be ordained as a bishop.
  3. Be appointed a cardinal by the pope.
  4. Gain recognition and influence within the Church hierarchy

• Election process (Conclave) :
  • When the papacy is vacant (due to death or resignation), the College of Cardinals convenes in a secret meeting called the conclave, held in the Sistine Chapel.
  • Only cardinals under 80 years old vote.
  • Voting is by secret ballot, with up to four rounds per day until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority.
  • Ballots are burned after each round; black smoke means no pope elected, white smoke signals a new pope

• Acceptance and proclamation :
  • Once a cardinal receives the required votes, he is asked if he accepts the election.
  • If he accepts, he chooses a papal name and is vested as pope.
  • The senior cardinal deacon announces "Habemus Papam" ("We have a pope") from St. Peter’s Basilica balcony, and the new pope gives his first blessing to the world

In summary, becoming pope involves a lifelong commitment to the Catholic Church, ascending through its clerical ranks, and ultimately being elected by the College of Cardinals in a conclave requiring a two-thirds vote