Any baptized Catholic male is canonically eligible to be elected pope, regardless of whether he is currently a bishop, priest, deacon, or even a layman. However, if the elected individual is not already a bishop, he must be immediately ordained as one to assume the papacy

. In practice, the pope is almost always chosen from among the College of Cardinals, who are senior clergy and advisors to the pope. This has been the norm for over 600 years, as cardinals are known to the electors and possess the extensive experience required for the role. The last pope elected who was not a cardinal was in 1378

. Additional informal criteria often considered include:

• Being a cardinal (though not formally required)
• Good health and physical stamina to handle the demanding responsibilities
• Being under the age of 80, as only cardinals under 80 can vote in the conclave and are typically considered viable candidates

Women are not eligible for the papacy because the Catholic Church holds that women cannot be validly ordained as priests or bishops

. In summary, the formal eligibility requirements are:

• Male
• Baptized Catholic
• Willing to be ordained bishop if not already one

Informally, the pope is almost always a cardinal under 80 years old in good health