Renewed interest in Vatican tradition on back of Conclave winning at the Baftas and Pope Francis being hospitalised.
Conclave won Best Film at the 2025 British Academy Film Awards on Sunday for its adaptation of Robert Harris’s novel of the aftermath of the Pope’s death.
The film, which stars Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence, also took Best British Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Editing at the awards on February 16.
Conclave is a fictional story where various factions in the Vatican City try to position themselves for a vote to decide the next Pope and the future of the church.
Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto and Isabella Rossellini also star in the film which, although not based on true events, does show a similar process to reality.
Here is how the Pope is selected.
What happens when the Pope dies?
The Pope is the worldwide head of the Catholic Church and is a role that a senior cardinal typically takes late in life and continues to their death, although this doesn’t always happen as Pope Benedict XVI stepped back after eight years due to ill health.
The procedure for what happens when a Pope dies has changed over the years and the guidance was most recently updated in 1996 and then tweaked in 2013 when Francis became Pope.
The latest guidance states that the Pope’s death must be confirmed by the Chamberlain of the Catholic church in the presence of the Papal Master of Ceremonies and a number of other members of the Papal Household.
The Chamberlain then notifies the cardinal vicar for Rome who then tells the people of Rome – with word then going worldwide.
“The Chamberlain seals the Pope’s apartments and begins to make arrangements for the burial,” states the guidance. “It is the Dean’s responsibility to inform all the cardinals, the Diplomatic Corps and heads of state.”
The Dean in the film Conclave is the role that Cardinal Lawrence (Fiennes) fulfils.
After the death, nine days of mourning are declared and the burial usually takes place between the fourth and the sixth day. Popes are usually buried at St Peter’s Basilica.
An executor may have the task of enacting the Pope’s last will – another element that comes up in Conclave.
How is a new Pope chosen?
There are 252 cardinals by the most recent count and all of these are summoned to Rome when a Pope dies.
The Papal election, called the Conclave, is then held to determine the next Pope and – under a 1975 ruling – all members below the age of 80 will then vote. There cannot be more than 115 cardinals able to vote.
Cardinals discuss, very secretly, who they feel would be a good candidate and voting begins in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel – and continues until one has a conclusive vote. The church, states the BBC, talks about cardinals being “guided by the Holy Spirit” but is also shaped by factions and groupings built to strengthen candidates’ positions.
A relatively new rule is that after 12 days of voting, a candidate can win with 50 per cent plus one vote. Twice per day, locals are kept updated via the ancient practice of burning ballots. If black smoke appears, then a decision has not been reached, while if it is white smoke then a new Pope has been elected.
The new Pope is asked to choose which name he would like to be known as and he will be announced to the world shortly after.
Also read: Vatican says Pope’s health is a “complex clinical situation”
Source: standard.co.uk
