Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, presides over the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff, and calls for unity in faith and prayer as the Cardinals go into the Conclave to elect the new Pope. “May the Pope elected may be he whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult, complex, and troubled turning point in history.”

By Thaddeus Jones

On Wednesday morning, 7 May, in Saint Peter’s Basilica the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff took place with the Cardinals and over five thousand faithful in attendance. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the celebration, saying that in a special way “we feel united with the entire People of God in their sense of faith, love for the Pope and confident expectation.” 

Recalling the reading in the Acts of the Apostles how after Christ’s ascension into heaven all were united and persevering in prayer together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the Cardinal said in his homily that all gathered here are praying together as well just a few hours before the start of the Conclave, “under the gaze of Our Lady beside the altar, in this Basilica which rises above the tomb of the Apostle Peter.”

United in faith and prayer

Cardinal Re explained that at this celebration we invoke the help of the Holy Spirit, asking for “his light and strength so that the Pope elected may be he whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult, complex, and troubled turning point in history.”

“To pray, by invoking the Holy Spirit, is the only right and proper attitude to take as the Cardinal electors prepare to undertake an act of the highest human and ecclesial responsibility and to make a choice of exceptional importance. This is a human act for which every personal consideration must be set aside, keeping in mind and heart only the God of Jesus Christ and the good of the Church and of humanity.”

Love that knows no limits

As proclaimed in the Gospel reading during the celebration, Cardinal Re recalled how Jesus calls on everyone to love one another as He has loved them, even to the point of laying down one’s life, a message of boundless love that the Lord calls a “new” commandment.

“The love that Jesus reveals knows no limits and must characterise the thoughts and actions of all his disciples, who must always show authentic love in their behaviour and commit themselves to building a new civilisation, what Paul VI called the “civilisation of love.” Love is the only force capable of changing the world.”

Call to fraternal love and communion

Continuing in his homily, Cardinal Re recalled how the readings proclaimed during the celebration call us to fraternal love, mutual help, ecclesial communion and universal human fraternity. And a key task of every successor of Peter is fostering communion in all forms: “communion of all Christians with Christ; communion of the Bishops with the Pope; communion of the Bishops among themselves…entirely directed towards communion among persons, peoples and cultures.” 

When a new Pope is elected, his first decision is picking a new name. 

It’s not just a preference, it’s a message.

In 2013, when Francis was elected, it was around 45 minutes to an hour after the white smoke first appeared that the new pope’s name was announced. This year, Cardinal Dominique Mamberti from France is tasked with making that announcement to the world.

This process could take days or weeks or possibly hours.

Later this evening, under the domed ceiling of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, 133 cardinals will vote to elect the Catholic Church’s 267th pope.

The day will begin at 10:00 (09:00 BST) with a mass in St Peter’s Basilica. The service, which will be televised, will be presided over by Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old Cardinal Dean who was also the celebrant of Pope Francis’ funeral.

In the early afternoon, mobile signal within the territory of the Vatican will be deactivated to prevent anyone taking part in the conclave from contacting the outside world.

Around 16:15 (15:15 BST), the 133 cardinal electors will gather in the Pauline Chapel and form a procession to the Sistine Chapel.

All the while they will be singing a litany and the hymn Veni Creator – an invocation to the Holy Spirit, which is seen as the guiding hand that will help cardinals choose the new Pope.

Once in the Sistine Chapel, one hand resting on a copy of the Gospel, the cardinals will pronounce the prescribed oath of secrecy which precludes them from ever sharing details about how the new Pope was elected.

When the last of the electors has taken the oath, a meditation will be held. Then, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations Diego Ravelli will announce “extra omnes” (“everybody out”).

He is one of three ecclesiastical staff allowed to stay in the Sistine Chapel despite not being a cardinal elector, even though they will have to leave the premises during the counting of the votes.

The moment “extra omnes” is pronounced marks the start of the cardinals’ isolation – and the start of the conclave.

The word, which comes from the Latin for “cum clave”, or “locked with key” is slightly misleading, as the cardinals are no longer locked inside; rather, on Tuesday Vatican officials closed the entrances to the Apostolic Palace – which includes the Sistine Chapel- with lead seals which will remain until the end of the proceedings. Swiss guards will also flank all the entrances to the chapel.

Diego Ravelli will distribute ballot papers, and the cardinals will proceed to the first vote soon after.

While nothing forbids the Pope from being elected with the first vote, it has not happened in centuries. Still, that first ballot is very important, says Austen Ivereigh, a Catholic writer and commentator.

“The cardinals who have more than 20 votes will be taken into consideration. In the first ballot the votes will be very scattered and the electors know they have to concentrate on the ones that have numbers,” says Ivereigh.

He adds that every other ballot thereafter will indicate which of the cardinals have the momentum. “It’s almost like a political campaign… but it’s not really a competition; it’s an effort by the body to find consensus.”

If the vote doesn’t yield the two-third majority needed to elect the new pope, the cardinals go back to guesthouse Casa Santa Marta for dinner. It is then, on the sidelines of the voting process, that important conversations among the cardinals take place and consensus begins to coalesce around different names.

According to Italian media, the menu options consist of light dishes which are usually served to guests of the residence, and includes wine – but no spirits. The waiters and kitchen staff are also sworn to secrecy and cannot leave the grounds for the duration of the conclave.

Diego Ravelli will distribute ballot papers, and the cardinals will proceed to the first vote soon after.

While nothing forbids the Pope from being elected with the first vote, it has not happened in centuries. Still, that first ballot is very important, says Austen Ivereigh, a Catholic writer and commentator.

“The cardinals who have more than 20 votes will be taken into consideration. In the first ballot the votes will be very scattered and the electors know they have to concentrate on the ones that have numbers,” says Ivereigh.

He adds that every other ballot thereafter will indicate which of the cardinals have the momentum. “It’s almost like a political campaign… but it’s not really a competition; it’s an effort by the body to find consensus.”

If the vote doesn’t yield the two-third majority needed to elect the new pope, the cardinals go back to guesthouse Casa Santa Marta for dinner. It is then, on the sidelines of the voting process, that important conversations among the cardinals take place and consensus begins to coalesce around different names.

According to Italian media, the menu options consist of light dishes which are usually served to guests of the residence, and includes wine – but no spirits. The waiters and kitchen staff are also sworn to secrecy and cannot leave the grounds for the duration of the conclave.

In 1268, the Church was facing a sede vacante(a vacant see) and the election of a new Pope. At that point, 19 of the 20 cardinal electors traveled to Viterbo to take part in choosing a successor. Little did anyone know, this election would become the longest conclave in Church history.

After a year without a new Pope being chosen, the citizens of Viterbo took matters into their own hands. In an attempt to pressure the cardinals to make a decision, they, together with the captain of the people, Raniero Gatti, locked the cardinals in the Palace of the Popes with a key or “cum clave”, in Latin from which the word conclave is derived. The cardinals, locked in from the outside, were also limited to bread and water.

Finally, in September of 1271, after more than three years without a pontiff, Pope Gregory X was elected.

Lessons learned

Following the experience in Viterbo, some of the cardinals realized that the long and unofficial process of electing Popes was outdated. The recently elected pontiff, Gregory X, published an Apostolic Constitution, Ubi periculum, with concrete rules for the selection of a new Pope. This apostolic constitution remains the basis for the modern-day process the Church still uses today.

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors joins the Church in prayer ahead of the Conclave that begins on Wednesday, 7 May 2025.

By Vatican News

As members of the College of Cardinals gather in Rome in preparation for the upcoming Conclave to elect the next Bishop of Rome, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has expressed its spiritual closeness and support for the cardinal electors through a public statement and prayer.

The Commission, entrusted with promoting a culture of safeguarding throughout the Church, noted the gravity of the moment and said it joins the universal Church in praying for discernment led by the Holy Spirit.

“We unite our voices with the People of God in a plea for discernment guided by the Holy Spirit—and shaped by the cries of those harmed by abuse within the Church,” the statement said.

Courage, humility, and commitment to safeguarding

Acknowledging the profound responsibility that lies before the College of Cardinals, the Commission highlighted the importance of protecting the vulnerable in the life of the Church.

“We pray for Cardinals who carry the grave responsibility of choosing the next Successor of Peter, that they may be guided by courage, humility, and a commitment to safeguarding.”

The Commission noted with encouragement that safeguarding has been a priority in the pre-Conclave discussions among the cardinals in Rome. It affirmed that the Church’s credibility and moral authority “depend on real accountability, transparency, and action rooted in justice.”

Entrusting the discernment to St Joseph

In a spirit of trust and intercession, the Commission offered a special prayer through St Joseph, Protector of the Child Jesus, invoking divine guidance upon the electors.

“Let your Holy Spirit descend upon the cardinals gathered in your name,” the prayer reads. “As they prayerfully discern the successor of St. Peter, may they give priority to the safeguarding and protection of the people of God.”

The prayer calls for a deep awareness of the Church’s responsibility to those harmed by abuse and urges that the need for truth and justice be neither obscured by fear of scandal nor delayed by concerns for reputation.

Vision for leadership rooted in justice and truth

The Commission’s prayer expresses hope that the next Pope will be a shepherd committed to transparency and protection, and that the cardinals themselves will be vigilant in upholding the sacred trust placed in them.

“Inspire our cardinals to be leaders for protection and safeguarding, defenders of the innocent, and advocates for the abused,” the prayer continues. “May they embrace the priority of accountability for rigorous policies and procedures and disciplinary measures.”

has announced that it will cut the phone signal within the tiny city state during the conclave to elect a new pope – but this would not affect St Peter’s Square.

The office of the presidency of the Governorate of the Vatican City State said that “all the transmission systems of the telecommunications signal for mobile telephones present in the territory of the Vatican City State … will be deactivated” from 3pm on 7 May.

“The signal will be restored after the announcement of the election of the supreme pontiff,” it said in a statement.

But the deactivation will not cover St Peter’s Square, Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni told reporters.

An array of lay women and men are required to house and feed the cardinals. A conclave’s duration cannot be predicted — and it will only be known when white smoke rises out of the Sistine Chapel chimney to signal a winner.

All those people will be sequestered to be on hand for any medical needs, and maintain the majestic beauty appropriate for the election of the next head of the 1.4 billion strong Catholic Church.

The cardinals will be living in residences on Vatican grounds, and they can either walk the roughly one kilometer (less than a mile) to the Sistine Chapel or take a special shuttle bus that runs only within the sealed Vatican grounds — and for that drivers are also needed.

Phones and secrecy

The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, said Monday that the cardinals would be “invited” to leave their mobile phones at their Vatican residence and not take them to the Sistine Chapel, but that they wouldn’t be confiscated.

Bruni recalled that cardinals take an oath to obey the Vatican regulation governing the conclave, which forbids divulging any information about the proceedings and prohibits communicating with the outside world until the election is over.

The Vatican also plans to use signal jamming during the conclave to prevent electronic surveillance or communication outside the conclave, with the Vatican gendarmes overseeing the security measures.

The oath

The provisions for the oath-taking are laid down in Vatican law.

St. John Paul II rewrote the regulations on papal elections in a 1996 document that remains largely in force, though Pope Benedict XVI amended it twice before he resigned in 2013. He tightened the oath of secrecy, making clear that anyone who reveals what went on inside the conclave faces automatic excommunication.

In John Paul’s rules, excommunication was always a possibility, but Benedict made it explicit, saying they must observe “absolute and perpetual secrecy” and explicitly refrain from using any audio or video recording devices.