Conclave to elect new pope begins at the Vatican, with 133 cardinals voting

Hi, I’m Verity, and I’ll be curating your live updates today as we follow the conclave — the secretive process by which the Roman Catholic Church elects a new pope.

Here’s a little bit about how the conclave works: 133 cardinal electors from around the world are gathering in the Vatican this year. Typically, the number of electors is capped at 120 and this year is the largest number of electors in history.

Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote. When the voting process begins, they each write a name on a paper ballot and place it in a chalice at the altar of the Sistine Chapel. Their ballots are secret.

To be elected, a cardinal must receive two-thirds of the votes — or 89 ballots. Ballots are burned, resulting in the famous smoke. Black smoke means no new pope yet. White smoke means a pope has been elected. The cardinals vote in up to four rounds every day until one name reaches the two-thirds threshold.

Once, and if, the elected cardinal accepts, he must choose a papal name. Then, he changes out of his red garments into white papal robes and is presented to the world on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, with the announcement: Habemus papam — We have a pope.