After the funeral of Pope Francis, the humble Pope who made simplicity the symbol of his pontificate, the faithful are starting to wonder who the new Pontiff will be and at least they want to understand what the rules and geography of the Conclave are that will take place in the next few days. Let's try to explain it better in this article.
When will the Conclave be?
As the conclave approaches, the Catholic Church is preparing for one of the most crucial moments in its recent history: the election of the new Pontiff. According to the Universi dominici gregis, after the death of the Pope, at least 15 days must pass before the start of the Conclave, the assembly in which the new pontiff is elected. After 20 days, voting must begin. Therefore, on the basis of these rules, the Conclave can begin between May 6 and 11, but a change wanted by Benedict XVI allows the start to be brought forward if all the cardinal electors arrive in Rome before May 6.
The Geography of the Conclave
According to the statistics of the Holy See, there are 252 cardinals in the world, 45% of whom are European. However, not all of them participate in the election of the new Pope: only the so-called "Cardinal Electors” have the right to vote, that is, those who have not yet turned 80. Excluding those over eighty, there will be 135 cardinals called to vote, an expression of a College of Cardinals profoundly transformed under the pontificate of Pope Francis.
The geographic distribution of the cardinal electors tells of a Church that looks less and less to the traditional centers of power and opens up to new global dynamics. Europe will have 53 cardinals, followed by Asia (23) and Africa (18) and then in order of representation, South America, North America, Central America and Oceania.
How to vote in the Conclave
To be elected, a candidate must obtain at least the two thirds of the votes of the cardinal electors present and voting (so 90 votes if all participate and 135 vote). On the first day of the Conclave, a maximum of one vote may take place, in the afternoon. On the following days, up to four votes may be taken per day: two in the morning and two in the afternoon. In the counting, each cardinal writes a single name in unrecognizable handwriting, folds the ballot, pronounces a solemn oath and places it in an urn on the altar of the Sistine Chapel
The 2025 conclave is not only a transitional event, but a true mirror of the contemporary world. Never before has the College of Cardinal Electors represented a Catholic Church that has become truly global: less Eurocentric, more attentive to the peripheries, more sensitive to the social and economic dynamics that shake the South of the world. The next Pontiff will be called to lead a more complex, multicultural Church, challenged by crucial issues such as inequality, migration, conflicts and climate change.
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