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What we know about papel conclave as Vatican closes Sistine Chapel to the public

The Sistine Chapel, where cardinals will gather to elect the next pope, is closing to the public as the Vatican turns its attention to the ancient process of choosing a successor to Pope Francis

[FILE - Tables and chairs line the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican in preparation for the conclave, on April 16, 2005. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito, File)]

The Sistine Chapel has now closed(Image: Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The Vatican has bid farewell to tourists and welcomed cardinals as the Sistine Chapel closes its doors in preparation for the conclave to elect a new pope following the passing of Pope Francis on April 21 at the age of 88.

Pope Francis was laid to rest on Saturday, with his funeral in St. Peter's Square drawing world leaders and hundreds of thousands of mourners. A nine-day mourning period is currently underway before the conclave can commence. However, the church is simultaneously shifting its focus towards the upcoming steps.

A crucial part of this process involves readying the Sistine Chapel for the assembly of red-robed cardinals who will convene at the Vatican in Rome's heart to select the next pope, a tradition immortalised in the 2024 film "Conclave."

[FILE - This Dec. 10, 1999 file photo shows Michelangelo's fresco "La Creazione" ("The Creation") on the ceiling of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel. (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)]

The iconic building won't open again until after the conclave(Image: Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

One significant task includes setting up the chimney where ballots will be incinerated post-voting.

Visitors who managed to gain entry on Sunday count themselves fortunate, given the uncertainty surrounding the duration of the conclave and the subsequent closure of the Vatican Museums' crown jewel.

Sumon Khan, a tourist from the United States, expressed his luck: "I think we felt very lucky to be able to be the last group of visitors to come in today. You know, our trip would not have been complete without seeing this beautiful place."

As per the timeline dictated by church law, the conclave can only kick off after the nine-day mourning period, with expectations pointing towards a start date between May 5 and May 10.

[FILE - Visitors admire the Sistine Chapel inside the Vatican Museums on the occasion of the museum's reopening, in Rome, May 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, file)]

One significant task includes setting up the chimney where ballots will be incinerated post-voting(Image: Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

When the time comes, the cardinals will solemnly enter to partake in a secretive process believed to be guided by the holy spirit. This process will lead to the appointment of the next leader of the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic church.

The decision will dictate whether the succeeding pontiff will carry on with Francis' reforms, focusing on the poor, marginalised and the environment, or if they will opt for a pope more akin to conservative predecessors like Benedict XVI, who prioritised doctrine.

The cardinals will also draw inspiration from the stunning frescos painted by Michelangelo and other esteemed Renaissance artists. The most iconic among these is Michelangelo's Creation of Adam, which depicts God's outstretched hand bestowing the divine spark of life onto the first man.

[Custodian of the Apostolic Shrine Padre Bruno Silvestrini closes the doors to the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican in Rome, June 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)]

Goodbye, for now(Image: Unknown)

The chapel owes its name to Pope Sixtus IV, an art enthusiast who supervised the construction of the primary papal chapel in the 15th century. However, it was a later pope, Pope Julius II, who commissioned Michelangelo's works.

The artist painted the ceiling with scenes from Genesis between 1508 and 1512, and later returned to paint the Last Judgement on one of the walls.

As the conclave commences, cardinals will chant the Litany of Saints, a solemn, mystical Gregorian chant seeking the intercession of the saints, as they march into the chapel and swear an oath of secrecy. The chapel's robust double doors will then close, and the master of liturgy will pronounce the Latin phrase "Extra omnes," translating to "everyone out."

This clandestine procedure is part of a long-standing tradition designed to safeguard the vote from outside meddling.

The globe will then be on tenterhooks for a signal that a successor to Francis has been selected. If black smoke billows from the Sistine Chapel's chimney, it means they haven't reached the two-thirds majority needed to elect a new pope.

However, when a pope is eventually chosen, white smoke will ascend and bells will ring out.

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