Papal Election

Catholic Church Institutions

The most recent papal conclave began on March 12, 2013, and concluded on March 13, 2013, when Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Pope Francis. A papal conclave is the fo...

religion

Pope Leo XIV is the papal name adopted by the individual elected as bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church in the conclave held after the death or resignation of the pre...

Catholicism

Only members of the College of Cardinals can formally elect a pope during a papal conclave, and only cardinals who have not yet reached the age of 80 on the day the conclave beg...

Catholic Church Processes & Institutions

As of late 2025, there is no publicly confirmed new pope elected during this year. The most recent papal transition occurred in March 2013, when Pope Francis was elected. This e...

religion

White smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney during a papal conclave signals that the cardinals have elected a new pope. This signal follows a structured voting process overseen...

religion

A Vatican conclave is the formal gathering of cardinal electors convened to elect a new pope. The term applies whenever the Holy See becomes vacant, known as sede vacante, and a...

church-history

The 2005 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI, known then as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was the first conclave of the 21st century and a defining moment for the Catholi...

Guides And Explainers

When a pope is elected, the world watches the Roman sky for a specific cue: the color of smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney. This signal is part of a carefully designed concl...