Papal conclave

E314262

A papal conclave is the secretive gathering of the College of Cardinals convened in the Vatican to choose a new pope.

All labels observed (6)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Ecclesiastical election
Papal election
Religious event
Roman Catholic institution
announcedBy Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals
announcementFormula Habemus Papam
associatedBuilding Apostolic Palace
associatedResidenceForElectors Domus Sanctae Marthae
blackSmokeMeaning No pope has been elected
canElectNonCardinal Yes, any baptized male Catholic can theoretically be elected
characteristic Cardinals are locked in until a pope is elected
conductedBy College of Cardinals
convenesAfter Death of a pope
Resignation of a pope
electsOffice Pope
surface form: Bishop of Rome

Pope
surface form: Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church
eligibilityRuleForElectors Cardinals under the age of 80 at the time of the pope’s death or resignation
etymology From Latin ‘cum clave’ meaning ‘with a key’
excludesFromElection Cardinals aged 80 or older
frequency Convenes only when the papal office is vacant
governedBy apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis
surface form: Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis

Canon law
surface form: Canon law of the Catholic Church
hasPrimaryPurpose Election of a new pope
historicalOriginCentury 13th century
historicalOriginEvent After the prolonged papal election of 1268–1271 in Viterbo
languageOfOfficialDocuments Latin
liturgicalContext Begins with a Mass for the election of the pope
location Vatican City
maximumNumberOfElectors 120
notableReformBy Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Francis
Pope John Paul II
Pope Paul VI
participant Cardinal elector
practicalCustom Popes are almost always chosen from among the cardinals
preConclaveBody College of Cardinals in general congregation
preConclavePeriodName sede vacante
surface form: Sede vacante
precondition sede vacante
surface form: Vacancy of the Holy See
prohibits Use of phones, internet, and media by electors
religiousAffiliation Roman Catholicism
surface form: Roman Catholic Church
secrecyEnforcedBy Oath of secrecy
Threat of excommunication for violations
secrecyRequirement Proceedings are strictly confidential
securityFeature Isolation from outside communication
signalOfResult Colored smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney
usualLocation Sistine Chapel
votingMethod Secret ballot
votingThreshold Two-thirds majority of cardinal electors
whiteSmokeMeaning A pope has been elected

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Papacy electsPopeIn Papal conclave
Francis Spellman participatedIn Papal conclave
this entity surface form: papal conclave of 1958
Francis Spellman participatedIn Papal conclave
this entity surface form: papal conclave of 1963
sede vacante includesEvent Papal conclave
this entity surface form: papal conclave
sede vacante endsWithEvent Papal conclave
this entity surface form: election of Pope Francis
Cardinal electoralFunction Papal conclave
this entity surface form: papal conclave
Papal election of 1352 category Papal conclave
this entity surface form: Papal conclaves