Following Pope Francis’s Death, Vatican Opens Conclave to Elect Successor
- Yewon Choi
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
July 1 , 2025
Yewon Choi
Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 in the Vatican. With his death, the position of pope became officially vacant, starting a period known as the "interregnum." On May 7, the Vatican began the traditional papal election, known as the conclave, inside the Sistine Chapel.
Pope Francis, who became the 266th pope in 2013, served for about 12 years. He was known for pushing the Church toward greater openness and reform, focusing on issues like climate change, poverty, inclusion of LGBTQ people, and the role of women. While many praised his efforts, some conservative members of the Church disagreed with his direction.
Now, 133 cardinals under the age of 80 have entered the conclave to vote for the next pope. This is one of the largest papal elections in history. The voting takes place in secret, and cardinals are completely cut off from the outside world. A new pope must receive a two-thirds majority -at least 89 votes. The results are signaled by smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney: black smoke means no decision yet, white smoke means a new pope has been chosen.
Leading candidates include Cardinal Pietro Parolin from Italy, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines, and Cardinal Péter Erdő from Hungary. Each represents a different vision for the future of the Church - whether to continue reforms or return to more traditional ways.
Over 1.3 billion Catholics around the world are waiting to see who will be chosen as the next pope, and how he will guide the Church through its many global challenges.
