Pope Francis’s funeral is set for Saturday, and after that, the process to select a new pope begins.
The papal conclave is a tradition dating back to the 13th century. Cardinals are sequestered in the Vatican and take a vow of silence. They vote by secret ballot for candidates until one emerges with two-thirds of the vote. That’s when they burn white smoke, signifying that a new pope has been chosen.
Matthew Gabriele is a professor in the Department of Religion and Culture at Virginia Tech. He says it will be interesting to see the new pope’s priorities.
“The Vatican is a sovereign state. So turning that ship in any direction, either more conservative or more progressive, is not something that can be accomplished overnight. But in American politics, we look at the president’s first hundred days to see what they’re going to do, and I think that’s very similar for the papacy as well,” Gabriele said.
The Papal Conclave begins immediately after the previous Pope’s funeral.