Like most Catholics, I'm excited about the conclave being convened this week for the purpose of voting for our next Pope. Since we aren't also mourning the recent death of the previous Pope, there is a different feeling about this election. There is a lot of conjecture about who will actually be elected. I know from other papal elections that the ones we are sure will be in the running are not always the ones that are given the title. Naturally, I have favorite cardinals but await the white smoke the the final decision.
The Conclave starts this Tuesday. Before the voting even begins, some cardinals are selected by lot to gather the ballots of the sick who cannot attend the regular voting sessions. In fact, these cardinals will be sequestered at St. Martha's House. Some other cardinals are given the task of counting the ballots. Voting begins with only one ballot on the first day. In the following days, if necessary, two ballots will be taken in the morning and two in the afternoon. You have to wonder who has the most anxiety - we the people of the Church awaiting the announcement or the cardinals prayerfully voting and asking for God's Will to be done through them.
The ballot paper is rectangular with the words Elligo in Summum Pontificem in Latin which translates to "I Elect as Supreme Pontiff" written at the top with room for the cardinal to write in the name. The ballots are then folded twice and carried to the altar. As each cardinal casts his vote, he says aloud, "I call as my witness Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected". The ballot is then placed into a receptacle, they bow, and return to their place.
When all the ballots have been cast, they are immediately counted. Each ballot is pierced with a needle through the work Eligo and place on a thread. After the names have been read out loud, the ends of the thread area tied into a knot. If someone has obtained two-thirds of the votes, the canonically valid election of the Roman Pontiff has taken place and we have a pope!
Once a pope has been elected and before the cardinals leave the Sistine Chapel, all the ballots are to be burned along with any notes written by the cardinals.
Until a pope is elected, the ballots are burned and the black smoke indicates to the world that they are still at work on this. Once a pope is elected, the burned ballots are done so as to emit white smoke and the cheering and anticipation begins until the actually announcement is made public.
After three days and no two-thirds vote for anyone, voting is suspended for a day of prayer, discussion, and spiritual exhortation. After a series of seven further ballots, the process may again be halted for discernment until, finally, only the two cardinals who received the most votes in the last ballot are eligible for a runoff election. The two candidates cannot themselves vote.
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