22/04/2025 13:56
I've always been curious about the Pope's election. Like, who chooses the Pope? Why? Who becomes Pope and why? Understand the Vatican's secret election process.
And the craziest thing: how does all this happen behind those giant Vatican walls?
So I decided to study, to dig, to ask questions. Because if I, who am curious by nature, already wanted to understand... imagine someone who is Catholic or just loves history?
Who Becomes Pope and Why? Understand the Secret Election Process in the Vatican – this mystery, steeped in tradition, faith, and sacred politics, needs to be unraveled. And today, I'm going to tell you everything, as if it were at a bar, sipping a cold one.
Shall we?
No. It starts there.
To be Pope, the subject needs to be man, Catholic and, obligatorily, baptized.
Oh, and there's no point in dreaming if you're not, at the very least, a priest. But here's the trick...
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The new Pope does not need to be a cardinal.
It could be any bishop or even a priest.
But in practice? They always choose a cardinal. Because, you know... it's like that guy who's already in the mix, you know?
Then, Who Becomes Pope and Why? Understand the Secret Election Process in the Vatican It also goes through this: the guy has to have morals, baggage, experience.
First of all, here begins the mystery.
The famous Conclave. It's not the name of a metal band, no. It's the name of the cardinals' meeting.
More specifically, the cardinals under 80 years old.
They are the ones who enter a room (literally locked from the inside!) and only leave when they decide who will lead the Catholic Church.
In this way, think of an air of mystery, full of ancient rituals…
At first, I thought it was just a matter of raising your hand and voting, like a building manager election.
But it's much crazier.
First, all the cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel.
Yes, the famous one with Michelangelo's frescoes. All of that right there, with 115 cardinals seated around it.
They take a heavy oath of secrecy. Like, If you tell what happened in there, it's over.
Then, voting begins.
Each cardinal writes the name of the chosen one on a piece of paper, folds it and places it in a silver urn.
The ballots are counted, read aloud and burned.
And that's where the smoke trick comes in.
It's real, yes.
And it's the most "old school" way of telling the world whether the new Pope has been elected or not.
They mix chemicals into the burnt bills to give the smoke effect.
Very Vatican alchemist stuff.
It's like the Enem dos Santos: you need to get a high score.
In reality, you need 2/3 of the votes.
In other words, if there are 115 cardinals voting, the chosen one needs at least 77 votes.
And there's one more: no one can vote for themselves.
Imagine the ego if it could?
So when we talk Who Becomes Pope and Why? Understand the Secret Election Process in the Vatican, you can already see that it's not just any kind of sympathy that gets this guy elected. It's a vote of complete confidence from the top brass.
Oh, it happens.
Despite the sacred atmosphere, we cannot forget that they are human beings in there.
There are lobbies, there are alliances, there's that whole "so-and-so is more progressive" thing, "so-and-so is conservative" thing.
Some want change. Others, tradition.
Some prioritize social issues, others doctrine.
And there, my friend, comes the “why”.
Why did that guy become Pope?
Because he represents what the majority believes the Church needs at that moment.
When someone reaches 2/3 of the votes, everything suddenly changes.
The chosen one is called to the corner and hears the question:
“Do you accept the election as Supreme Pontiff?”
If he says yes, that's it. He's Pope.
At that moment, he chooses the name he will use (like Francisco, João Paulo, Bento…).
Afterwards, he changes and appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.
That crowd down there, waiting for hours, explodes when they see the white smoke.
And the new Pope gives his first blessing as leader of the Catholic Church.
It happens.
If after several votes a consensus is not reached, things could take days.
There was a Conclave in the past that lasted months.
In 1268, the cardinals took almost three years to decide. That's right, three years!
Today, they don't let more than 30 votes go by without thinking about a new strategy.
But the climate is tense. Everyone has to pray, reflect, discuss... and vote.
Silence. Reflection. Prayer.
But there's also conversation, of course.
Between one vote and another, the cardinals talk, drink coffee, and discuss ideas.
It is a moment of pressure, but also of communion.
Because they know that the chosen one will carry the weight of more than 1 billion faithful.
Because the Pope is not just a spiritual leader.
He is a powerful voice in the world.
He talks about peace, wars, justice, environment, faith, life.
And each Pope brings a different style:
So, understand Who Becomes Pope and Why? Understand the Secret Election Process in the Vatican It's not just curiosity...
It's understanding the impact of this on the whole world.
If you thought that choosing a Pope was just a matter of prayer and luck, now you know otherwise.
It has strategy, it has tradition, it has emotion.
And the best part: it has a secret system that has remained in place for centuries.
It's nice to see this still working, even in such a digital world.
So when someone asks you “Who Becomes Pope and Why? Understand the Secret Election Process in the Vatican”,
You may even seem like an expert. Because now, you know. And you know it well.
And hey: if you enjoyed this chat, send it to your curious friend too.