From Khatami’s surprise greeting to how to pick a new Pope

What is the process of picking a new pope? The reign of Pope Francis is over, and as the Catholic Church mourns his death, it is also looking to the future. Soon after Saturday’s funeral, a papal conclave must be held to choose his successor, and the question now turns to which man — and it will be a man, as women cannot be ordained priests in the Catholic Church — will emerge and step onto the balcony in papal regalia to greet the crowds massed in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

Below is a look inside the conclave process, with a step-by-step breakdown of how the next pope will be chosen and anointed under Michelangelo’s iconic fresco on the ceiling of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. What is the papal conclave, exactly? The papal conclave is the closely-guarded gathering of the cardinal electors — all serving cardinals under the age of 80 — to elect the next pope.

April 26, 2025 | 6:02 am