Chimney goes up as countdown begins: 10 things to know about papal conclaves
While the conclave stirs global anticipation, much of its ritual and history remains shrouded in mystery, from three-year-long elections to popes who weren’t cardinals.
Firefighters place the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, where cardinals will gather to elect the new pope, at the Vatican. (AP Photo) Preparations are underway at the Vatican as the Catholic Church braces for the start of a new papal conclave on May 7. The chimney that will signal the election of Pope Francis’ successor was installed atop the Sistine Chapel Friday, marking a key moment in the sacred event.
After every two voting rounds, ballots are burned in a special furnace to communicate the outcome. Black smoke, created using potassium perchlorate, anthracene, and sulfur, signals no decision. White smoke—produced with potassium chlorate, lactose, and chloroform resin—announces a successful election.
It was this white smoke that billowed over St. Peter’s Square on the fifth ballot in March 13, 2013, moments before Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio emerged as Pope Francis.
While the conclave stirs global anticipation, here are 10 lesser-known facts about its history and process:
1. The Sistine Chapel hasn’t always hosted the conclave
The first conclave under Michelangelo’s iconic ceiling took place in 1492. Since 1878, the Sistine Chapel has become the fixed venue, with cardinal-electors now staying in the nearby Domus Santa Marta.
2. The longest conclave in history lasted nearly three years
The election of Pope Gregory X took an extraordinary 1,006 days, from November 1268 to September 1271. Frustrated by the delay, Viterbo residents locked the cardinals in and eventually tore the roof off the building to speed up the process.
3. The shortest conclave took just hours
While modern rules enforce a waiting period, some past conclaves moved swiftly. The 1503 conclave that elected Pope Julius II took only a few hours—likely the shortest ever under current waiting rules.
4. Conclaves weren’t always held in Rome
While most papal elections took place in Rome, some happened elsewhere. Viterbo, Perugia, Arezzo, Venice, Konstanz (Germany), and Lyon (France) have all hosted conclaves.
5. Popes have ranged from teenagers to octogenarians
Pope John XII was just 18 when elected in 955, while Popes Celestine III and Celestine V were nearly 85 at the time of their elections. Benedict XVI was 78 when chosen in 2005.
6. Not all popes were cardinals or Italians
Urban VI, elected in 1378, was the last pope who wasn’t a cardinal. Over the centuries, non-Italians like Alexander VI (Spain), Gregory III (Syria), Adrian VI (Netherlands), John Paul II (Poland), Benedict XVI (Germany), and Francis (Argentina) have all broken the Italian dominance.
7. One meal a day
To prevent future delays, Gregory X decreed in 1274 that cardinals would be limited to one meal a day after three days of voting. After eight days, they’d receive only bread, water, and wine. This rule has since been dropped.
8. The Western Schism led to multiple popes
From 1378 to 1417, rival papal claimants—known as antipopes—split the Church. Clement VII, Benedict XIII, Alexander V, and John XXIII were all elected by opposing factions. The schism ended with the 1417 election of Martin V.
9. Strict secrecy governs every conclave
The term “conclave” derives from cum clave—“with a key”—signifying the locked and secluded setting of the election. Gregory X established this rule to prevent political interference after the 13th-century delays.
10. Hygiene used to be a real concern
Before the Domus Santa Marta residence opened in 1996, cardinals slept on cots in overcrowded rooms. Conclaves in earlier centuries were described as foul-smelling and disease-prone. Some electors left seriously ill.
(With inputs from from AP)
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