A new pope is chosen through a secretive and highly ritualized process called the papal conclave, conducted by the College of Cardinals. Here is how it works: 1. Preparation and Gathering

• After the pope dies or resigns, there is a waiting period of about 15 to 20 days during which the cardinals gather in Vatican City, discuss the Church's needs, and hold a Mass for the Election of the Pope.
• The cardinal electors (cardinals under age 80) then enter the Sistine Chapel, take an oath of secrecy, and the doors are sealed, isolating them from the outside world until a new pope is chosen

2. Voting Process

• The cardinals vote by secret ballot, writing the name of their chosen candidate on a folded ballot. They approach Michelangelo's fresco of the Last Judgment, say a prayer, and drop the ballot into a chalice

• Four rounds of voting are held each day (two in the morning and two in the afternoon). To be elected, a candidate must receive a two-thirds majority of the votes

• If no candidate achieves the required votes, the ballots are burned with chemicals producing black smoke, signaling to the public that no pope has been elected yet. This process repeats until a candidate reaches the two-thirds threshold

3. Election and Announcement

• Once a cardinal receives the necessary two-thirds vote, the dean of the College of Cardinals asks if he accepts the election. If he accepts, he chooses a papal name and is vested in papal garments.
• The ballots from the final vote are burned producing white smoke, signaling the election of a new pope to the world

• The senior cardinal deacon then announces "Habemus Papam" ("We have a pope") from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, and the new pope appears to give his blessing

Additional Notes

• Technically, any baptized Roman Catholic male can be elected pope, but since 1378, popes have always been chosen from among the cardinals

• The conclave is a secretive event, with cardinals sworn to absolute secrecy under penalty of excommunication

This centuries-old process ensures a solemn, prayerful, and confidential election of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, who then leads over a billion Catholics worldwide