A papal conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a bishop of Rome, also known as the pope. Catholics consider the pope to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and the earthly head of the Catholic Church. [1]

Oct 25, 2024 · After the death (or resignation) of a Pope, the governing of the Church falls to the Sacred College of Cardinals, whose main responsibility becomes the election of a new Pope. The Conclave, which consists of about 120 electors, is the gathering of cardinals for the purpose of selecting a new pope.

Papal elections since 1276 have taken the form of papal conclaves, which are elections that follow a set of rules and procedures developed in Ubi periculum (1274) and later papal bulls; observance of the conclave varied until 1294, but all papal elections since have followed relatively similar conclave procedures.

Jan 15, 2025 · Papal conclave is the assembly of cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church to elect a new pope and the system of strict seclusion to which they submit. The term comes from the Latin term cum clave, which means ‘with a key.’

Conclaves serve an essential function in the Catholic Church, ensuring a seamless transition of papal authority. Grounded in both tradition and scripture, they embody the Church’s commitment to collective discernment under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Sep 2, 2024 · The Papal Conclave only happens when a new pope needs to be elected, so what does this involve? Read our guide to find out!

A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals whose responsibility it is to elect a new pope. During the conclave the cardinals are not allowed to communicate with the world. They stay in a two-room suite in the Vatican.

Jan 15, 2025 · Papal conclave - Election, Procedure, Cardinals: Upon the termination of a pope’s reign, the cardinal camerlengo, the personal representative of the Sacred College of Cardinals in the administration of the church, takes up residence in the Vatican Palace.

A Papal conclave is a meeting of cardinals. The cardinals meet to elect the next bishop of Rome, to become pope. This becomes necessary when the old pope dies or resigns. Usually, popes do not resign, though. The last conclave was when Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013 and Pope Francis was elected to replace him. The word conclave is from ...

A papal conclave is the process by which the Roman Catholic Church elects a new Bishop of Rome at a time when the Holy See is vacant (usually due to the death of the previous office holder). While previous conclaves have been held at various locales in Rome, they are now exclusively held at the Sistine Chapel in the Palace of the Vatican.