The Sistine Chapel is set to host 133 Cardinal electors for the conclave beginning May 7 to elect the 267th Pope, the Holy See Press Office announced Saturday, May 3, sharing images and videos of the preparations.
This marks the first conclave with more than 120 electors, surpassing the limit set by the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis (UDG).
On Friday, the Vatican’s fire brigade installed the iconic chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, which will emit black smoke if the required 89 votes for a new Pope are not reached, or white smoke to signal a successful election, reports Vatican News, the official portal of the Holy See.
The conclave begins with a votive Mass Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice at 10:00am in St Peter’s Basilica, followed by a 4:30m procession from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel, where the Cardinals will pray the Litany of the Saints.
Inside the Sistine Chapel, the Cardinals will swear an oath to faithfully fulfil the papal role if elected, maintain absolute secrecy about the proceedings, and resist external influences.
After the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Ceremonies declares “extra omnes,” ordering non-participants to leave, Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa will deliver a meditation.
Voting, overseen by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, begins that evening with the first ballot.
Four votes will occur daily—two in the morning and two in the afternoon—until a Pope is chosen, with ballots burned after each session.
The inclusion of 133 electors stems from Pope Francis’ creation of additional Cardinals, tacitly dispensing with UDG’s 120-voter limit, as confirmed by the College of Cardinals on April 30.
Article 36 of UDG grants all created and published Cardinals the right to vote unless canonically deposed or resigned with papal consent.
Historically, Popes Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis have exceeded the limit in consistories, with the College reaching 140 electors in December 2024.
The conclave, a blend of tradition and adaptation, underscores the Vatican’s evolving approach to electing the next leader of the Catholic Church.