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Look: Vatican installs chimney over Sistine Chapel ahead of conclave to select new pope
Starting May 7, all eyes will turn to the rust-coloured pipe as white smoke billowing out of it will mean the selection of Pope Francis' successor
- PUBLISHED: Fri 2 May 2025, 12:55 PM
- By:
- Reuters
The papal smoke signals are ready. Vatican workers on Friday hoisted a chimney onto the roof of the Sistine Chapel, which will be used in burning the ballots for the conclave that will elect a successor to Pope Francis.
The secret meeting begins on May 7, with the sequestered cardinals using the chimney to tell the outside world whether they have elected a new leader of the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church.
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Black smoke will signify no decision, white will announce that the 267th pope has been elected.
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The workers attached a rust-coloured pipe above the terracotta tiles of the roof of the 15th century Sistine Chapel, which is known for its frescoes by Michelangelo.
The chimney is clearly visible from the nearby St Peter's Square, where thousands are expected to gather during the conclave to see how the secret balloting is progressing.
Francis, who died on April 21, had been pope since 2013 and was the first pontiff from the Americas. Some 133 cardinals, about 80% of them appointed by Francis, are expected to vote on his successor.
The last two conclaves, held in 2005 and 2013, wrapped up by the end of the second day of voting.
Selection process
Cardinals from around the world have been called back to Rome following the death of Pope Francis, the Argentine who led the Catholic Church for 12 years until his death on April 21 aged 88.
The 133 cardinals who are under 80 years old and therefore eligible to elect his successor will gather on May 7 to begin voting in secret, in a process expected to take several days.
On the first day they vote once, and during the following days they hold two votes in the morning and two in the afternoon.
If a candidate secures the two-thirds majority required to win -- at least 89 votes, then the ballots will be burned in the special stove with the addition of chemicals to emit a white smoke.
If no candidate has enough votes during the first morning vote, the cardinals will proceed to a second vote, and only after that point will the ballots be burned.
If no pope is elected, no chemicals are added and the smoke that comes out of the chimney is black.
The afternoon session follows the same procedure; if a pope is elected in the first vote, there will be white smoke, but if not, the cardinals will proceed to a second vote and only after that will the ballots be burned.
(With inputs from AFP)