2The Election of a New Pope

The election of a new pope is one of the most anticipated and iconic events in the Catholic world. To be elected, a candidate must receive a two-thirds majority vote from the participating cardinals (currently up to 120 under the age of 80). Voting occurs in rounds, and ballots are burned after each session.

Here’s where the tradition meets visual drama: the smoke. Black smoke signals an inconclusive vote; white smoke, created by adding specific chemicals to the fire, means a new pope has been chosen. Once elected, the new pope chooses his papal name and dons the white cassock. He is then introduced to the world with the famous words: “Habemus Papam”—“We have a pope.”

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