Today the conclave begins to choose the successor of Pope Francis. The day started with the 'Pro Eligendo Pontifice' mass in the St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, presided over by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, who will not participate in the voting due to being 91 years old.
In his homily, the dean advocated for "unity" in a "decision of great importance," where "any personal consideration must be set aside." "The unity of the Church is desired by Christ; a unity that does not mean uniformity, but a firm and deep communion in diversity, as long as it remains fully faithful to the Gospel," he said.
In the afternoon, starting at 3:45 PM, the cardinals will move from the residence of Santa Marta to gather in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace. From there, they will parade chanting litanies and the 'Veni Creator' hymn invoking the Holy Spirit to their seclusion in the Sistine Chapel, scheduled for 4:30 PM.
The cardinals will enter the spectacular venue, and after swearing on the Gospel, the master of ceremonies, Diego Ravelli, will expel anyone not part of the conclave with the "Extra Omnes" (everyone out) and close its doors.
Subsequently, the first vote and the first fumata will take place, scheduled for 7:00 PM. The election of the 267th Pope requires 89 votes, two-thirds of the 133 cardinals eligible to vote.
Light meals without asparagus: the menu for the conclave
If the story of the alleged minibar emptied by a foreign cardinal is nothing more than an anecdote, what links the secular rite of the conclave to the world of cuisine is a deep relationship, dating back to its origins. Chefs willing to swear by the Gospel, the Mediterranean diet, but also prohibitions and rationed meals: from reduced menus on the occasion of the election of Pope Gregory X -we are in 1271- to the secrets of the "sober diet," here is the menu that will be served to the 133 cardinals who will gather in the Vatican from today, Wednesday, May 7, under the Final Judgment of the Sistine Chapel, to choose the 267th pontiff.
One thing is certain, as explained by Mila Fumini, a historian from Rimini specialized in the research and archive of female cookbooks and founder of RAGÙ - Reti e Archivi del Gusto: "During the conclave, everything has a specific purpose, even the food: to choose the new Pope as soon as possible."
The digital shielding of the Sistine Chapel
The main novelty in this conclave is the cybersecurity and shielding to avoid contact, interference, or intrusion from the outside world. The 21st-century conclaves have faced increasing technological challenges, although none like this, amidst advances in artificial intelligence, drones, satellites, cyber-attacks, misinformation, and the siege of social networks.
The Vatican authorities have a dual mission: to ensure the security of the cardinals participating in the conclave and at the same time ensure the strict secrecy of the process (under penalty of excommunication) until the election of the new Pontiff, announced with the traditional white smoke.
The voting inside the Sistine Chapel follows a strict ritual. Each cardinal writes the name of their chosen one on a paper inscribed with the words "Eligo in summen pontificem" ("I elect as supreme pontiff"). One by one, they approach the altar and say: "I call as my witness the Lord Christ, who will judge me, that my vote is given to the one who, according to God, I believe should be chosen."
The folded ballot is placed on a round plate and deposited in an oval silver and gold urn. Once all are submitted, they are opened one by one by three "scrutineers" -cardinals randomly selected who record the names and read them aloud- The scrutineers, whose work is overseen by other cardinals called revisers, tally the results of each round of voting and record them on another sheet of paper, which is kept in the papal archives.
As the scrutineer reads each of the names, they pierce each ballot at the word "Eligo," tie them with thread, and make a knot, as explained by Ap. The papers are set aside and burned in the chapel's stove along with a chemical that produces black smoke to indicate no winner, or white to announce the election of a new Pope.
The dean cardinal asks for "the pope that humanity needs in this very difficult moment"
The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, during the 'Pro eligendo pontífice' mass, asked for "the Pope that the Church and humanity need in this very difficult and complex moment in history" to be elected.
"We are here to invoke the help of the Holy Spirit, to implore His light and strength, so that the Pope that the Church and humanity need in this very difficult and complex moment in history is elected," he said in his homily.
The 'Pro Eligendo Pontifice' mass begins
The St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican hosts the 'Pro Eligendo Pontifice' mass, which will be presided over by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re. This is the first act of the conclave.
The white smoke is the awaited signal announcing the election of a new Pope. The first time white smoke was used to announce the election of the pontiff was in 1914, during a conclave in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. The cast-iron stove in which the cardinals currently burn the ballots was first used in the conclave of March 1939, reports Afp.
Since 2005, the Vatican added a second stove, connected to the same chimney, where chemicals are burned to give a clearer color to the smoke, either white or black. Since 1958, chemicals have been used to color the smoke, but the newest stove -used for the first time during the election of Benedict XVI- has a fan and makes the smoke more visible.
To make the smoke appear darker, a mixture of potassium perchlorate, sulfur, and anthracene is used. For white smoke, potassium chlorate, lactose, and pine rosin are used. The newest stove is activated electronically, but the Vatican says it has been tested and is ready to face any last-minute technical difficulties.
Since 2005, to dispel any doubts in case the white smoke appears gray, the bells of St. Peter's Basilica also toll to indicate to Rome and the world the election of a new Supreme Pontiff.
There are other names being mentioned -such as the Italians Matteo Zuppi and Fernando Filoni, the Maltese Mario Grech, the Swede Anders Arborelius, the Congolese Fridolin Ambongo, or the Filipino Pablo Virgilio Ambo David- but the race seems decided from the start. However, there is room for surprise candidates not initially in the running, as was the case with John Paul II or with Francis himself, "the Pope who came from the end of the world," who was elected on the second day and on the fifth vote.