The conclave to elect the next pope will begin on 7 May in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.
The cardinals will celebrate the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff in St Peter’s Basilica in the morning of Wednesday 7 May (Rome time) before processing into the Sistine Chapel late that afternoon-early evening.
There are 135 cardinals under the age of 80 who are eligible to vote in a papal election.
The youngest member of the conclave is 45-year old Ukranian-born Cardinal Mykola Bychok of the Ukranian Eparchy of Sts Peter and Paul of Melbourne.
Only five of the cardinals who will vote were created cardinals by St John Paul II, and 22 were created by Pope Benedict XVI.
While 27 took part in the conclave that elected Pope Francis, and five of those also participated in the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict, for 108 of the cardinal electors, those appointed by Pope Francis, this conclave will be their first conclave.
The name conclave is derived from the Latin for “cum clavis” or “with a key”, describing the symbolic but historical procedure by which the cardinal electors are locked into the place of election until their task of electing a new pope is finished.
The conclave system was formalised in 1274 by Pope Gregory X in the bull Ubi Periculum. It sought to prevent another lengthy interregnum such as the three-year-long ordeal that had preceded his election in 1271. Its procedures are minutely governed today by the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis of Pope John Paul II, as amended by Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, and allows for no innovations on the part of the cardinals
Cardinals cast their votes for the election of the Pope through a secret ballot. By tradition and law this is held in the Sistine Chapel within the Vatican Apostolic Palace, which was closed to the public on Monday and remains completely sealed off until the election is completed.
Votes are taken once or twice in a morning session and once or twice in an afternoon session.
A two-thirds majority of the electors present is required to elect a Pope.
After the votes are counted, all ballots are burned. If the ballot was inconclusive, a chimney positioned over the Sistine Chapel and visible from St Peter’s Square, emits black smoke. If a Pope is elected, white smoke is emitted.
If the electors fail to reach agreement on a candidate after three days of voting, a break of up to one day is allowed for prayer, and discussion among voters.
Once the Cardinals have elected a new Pope, the Dean of the College, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, asks for the elected candidate’s consent - “Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?”.
Upon receiving consent, he then asks: “What name do you wish to be called?”
It is from this moment the newly-elected Pope, leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, acquires full and supreme authority over the universal church. The conclave ends at this point.
The Cardinal electors then pay homage and pledge obedience to the new Pope soon after which he will appear on the Loggia of St Peter’s Basilica overlooking the thousands of people who will be waiting for the outcome in St Peter’s Square. The new Pope, the 267th, then gives the Apostolic Blessing Urbi et Orbi.
The solemn inauguration ceremony of the Pontificate will be announced within the coming days.