Inside Conclave 2025 a GUIDE - Sistine Chapel's Closed Doors: 5 Key Spaces and Schedules that Lead to the New Pope

Behind Closed Doors: The Sacred Spaces of a Papal Conclave - The world watches with great awe whenever a Pope passes away or resigns, their attention is fixed on the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel. White smoke signals the joyous news of a new Pontiff, with the Lain words Habemus Papam, while black smoke indicates continued deliberation. But what happens within the walls of the Vatican Palace during those intense days of a papal conclave? Beyond the famed Sistine Chapel, several other rooms play vital, albeit less publicized, roles in this sacred and secretive process. Let's take a look inside these pivotal spaces which have undergone significant renovations since the last papal election of Pope Francis in 2013. There are 133 cardinal electors who will choose the 267th Roman Pontiff. SEE MORE Conclave NEWS: https://www.catholicnewsworld.com/search/label/Conclave%20news

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1. The Sistine Chapel: The Electoral Heart

Undoubtedly the most iconic space associated with the conclave, the Sistine Chapel serves as the very heart of the election. Its breathtaking frescoes by Michelangelo and other Renaissance masters provide a stunning, yet solemn, biblical backdrop for the cardinal electors as they undertake their momentous task.

The Setting: Long tables are arranged within the chapel to accommodate the cardinal electors. Each cardinal is provided with a designated space.

• The Balloting: This is where the actual voting takes place. Cardinals write their chosen candidate's name on a ballot in secret. These ballots are then folded, carried to the altar in a solemn procession, and deposited into a chalice. “Eligo in Summum Pontificem” (“I elect as Supreme Pontiff".)These are the words printed on each ballot that the 133 cardinal electors will use to choose the 267th Roman Pontiff. The ballot is rectangular, with the top half bearing the Latin phrase and the bottom half left blank for the cardinal to write the name of their chosen candidate. The ballot is designed to be folded in half - a detail prescribed by the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis. Each cardinal, in order of precedence, writes the name of their chosen candidate on the ballot, folds it, holds it aloft so it is visible, and carries it to the altar. There, a chalice is placed with a plate covering it. Each elector says aloud, in Italian: "Chiamo a testimone Cristo Signore, il quale mi giudicherà, che il mio voto è dato a colui che, secondo Dio, ritengo debba essere eletto". (“I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one whom I believe should be elected according to God".) The cardinal then places the ballot on the plate and uses it to drop the vote into the chalice, bows to the altar, and returns to his seat.
  The Counting: After all votes have been cast, the first scrutineer shakes the chalice to mix the ballots. The last scrutineer then counts them one by one, transferring them into a second, empty container. If the number of ballots doesn’t match the number of voters, all ballots are burned and a new vote is held immediately. If the count is correct, the ballots are opened and read. 
• The three scrutineers sit at a table before the altar. The first reads the name written on a ballot and passes it to the second, who confirms the name and hands it to the third, who reads it aloud for everyone to hear and records the vote. If two ballots appear to be written by the same person and bear the same name, they count as one vote. If they show different names, both are invalid, though the overall vote remains valid. Once all ballots have been read and the votes tallied, the final scrutineer pierces each ballot with a needle through the word Eligo and threads them together with string. The ends of the string are tied in a knot, and the ballots are stored for safekeeping.
  The Smoke Signals: The world's anticipation hinges on the smoke that rises from a chimney connected to a stove in the Sistine Chapel. Straw is burned with the ballots to produce black smoke when no Pope has been elected. When a two-thirds majority is reached, the ballots are burned alone, resulting in the eagerly awaited white smoke. To elect a new Pope, a two-thirds majority is required. For the upcoming conclave on Wednesday, 7 May, that means at least 89 votes are needed out of 133 electors. Before the electors leave the Sistine Chapel, all the ballots are burned in a cast-iron stove first used in the 1939 conclave. The scrutineers handle this with help from the College secretary and the ceremonial officers, who are summoned by the senior deacon. A second stove, installed in 2005, is connected to a chimney visible from St Peter’s Square. This is where the chemicals are added to colour the smoke: black if no Pope has been elected, white if one has. If two votes are held in succession, the ballots from both are burned together at the end of the second round.

2. Domus Sanctae Marthae (St. Martha's House): The Cardinals' Residence

Before the conclave begins and throughout its duration, the cardinal electors reside within the Domus Sanctae Marthae. This modern guesthouse within the Vatican walls provides a secure and comfortable living space for the cardinals, isolating them from the outside world to ensure the integrity and secrecy of the election.

• Accommodation: Cardinals are assigned private rooms, fostering an environment conducive to prayer and reflection.
• Communal Spaces: The Domus Sanctae Marthae also features communal dining areas and chapels, allowing the cardinals to share meals and engage in collective prayer.
• Maintaining Seclusion: Strict protocols are in place to prevent any external communication with the cardinal electors during the conclave. This isolation is considered essential to protect them from undue influence.

3. The Pauline Chapel: A Space for Prayer and Reflection

Located adjacent to the Sistine Chapel, the Pauline Chapel serves as another significant space for the cardinal electors. Voting occurs four times daily - twice in the morning, twice in the afternoon. If, after three days, no candidate has been chosen, voting is paused for one day of prayer, informal discussions, and a brief spiritual exhortation by the senior cardinal deacon. Voting then resumes. After every seven additional rounds without success, another pause and exhortation follow - first by the senior cardinal priest, and later, if necessary, by the senior cardinal bishop. If still no Pope is elected after 21 votes, a final pause for prayer, dialogue, and reflection is observed. At this point, voting continues — but the cardinals may only choose between the two candidates who received the most votes in the previous round. Even then, a two-thirds majority is still required, and the two candidates in question are not allowed to vote.

• Solemn Entry: Before entering the Sistine Chapel to begin the voting process, the cardinals gather in the Pauline Chapel for a solemn prayer and invocation of the Holy Spirit. This sets a spiritual tone for the weighty responsibility they are about to undertake.
• Potential for Additional Liturgies: Depending on the length of the conclave, the Pauline Chapel may also be used for additional liturgical celebrations and moments of collective prayer.

4. The Sacristy of the Sistine Chapel: Preparations and Vestments - 

While not a grand hall, the Sacristy attached to the Sistine Chapel plays a practical role in the conclave proceedings.

• Preparation for Mass: This is where the cardinal electors vest in their liturgical garments before celebrating Mass within the Sistine Chapel.
• Storage and Organization: The Sacristy serves as a space for the preparation and storage of the necessary liturgical items and materials used during the voting process.

5. Room of Tears
Once a Pope is elected, he will be led to the "Room of Tears", a small room next to the Sistine Chapel where he dons the white papal vestments for the first time.

CONCLAVE SCHEDULE - 

The first event to be reported will be the Missa pro eligendo Romano Pontifice , which will begin at 10 am, May 7, in St. Peter's Basilica. It will be followed in 11 languages ​​(Italian, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian, German, Polish, Chinese, Arabic and Vietnamese) and in Spanish sign language. The liturgy will also be broadcast on short wave in English, French and Portuguese to Africa.

In the afternoon, at 4:30 pm, the cardinal electors will enter the Conclave and take their oath before the Extra omnes , the moment when the doors of the Sistine Chapel will be closed for the start of voting.

Already in the afternoon of May 7, the wait for the white smoke that will announce the election of the new Pope will begin. The reports will document the results of the votes and the related smokes, which will be one at the end of the morning and one at the end of the day if black, or also in the mid-morning or mid-afternoon if the white smoke rises from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel

Beyond the Immediate Spaces:

While these are the primary rooms directly involved in the voting process and the cardinals' immediate needs, the security and logistical support for the conclave extend to other areas within the Vatican Palace. These include spaces for security personnel, medical staff, and those responsible for maintaining the strict protocols of the conclave.

The papal conclave is a deeply spiritual and historically significant event. While the world's attention is often focused on the symbolic smoke, understanding the roles of these various rooms within the Vatican Palace offers a deeper appreciation for the meticulous planning and solemnity that underpin the election of a new Pope. These sacred spaces bear witness to the profound responsibility undertaken by the cardinal electors as they seek divine guidance in choosing the next leader of the Catholic Church.

Edited from Vatican News