'Room of Tears': Choosing the new pope wrapped in secrecy, isolation
How centuries-old ritual to elect a new leader of 1.41-billion Catholics could pan out
The legacy of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, is already shaping up to be one of the most distinctive in modern papal history.
Following his death on April 21, Vatican City has become the center of a centuries-old ritual: the conclave.
In this process, red-hatted cardinals — "Princes of the Church" from around the world — gather in the Sistine Chapel for a secret election.
The purpose is not simply to select a new leader for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics but to discern the man they believe God has chosen to guide the Church.
On Monday, the cardinals were expected to set a date for the start of the conclave. So far, there are few clear signs as to who might emerge as the next pope.
Here's how this centuries-old practice could pan out:
Voting process
Day #1: One vote only.
Day #2: Four votes take place.
Day #3: Another four votes take place.
Day #4: If no one achieves a 2/3 majority, the cardinals pause for up to a day of prayer and reflection, with a spiritual exhortation given by the senior cardinal deacon.
Then...
Cycle repeats: three days of voting, one day of prayer, with exhortations next from the senior cardinal priest, and finally, the senior cardinal bishop.
After 26 ballots, Pope John Paul II's rules (from Universi Dominici Gregis) allowed for a switch to a simple majority
Pope Benedict XVI reversed this, re-establishing the strict two-thirds rule to preserve unity and legitimacy — an effort to prevent division or the rise of antipopes.
Sacred isolation
The cardinals are locked in the Sistine Chapel, completely cut off from the outside world.
No phones. No media. No communication in or out.
The idea is to prevent influence from the world — media speculation, politics, or public opinion — and focus wholly on discernment.
Above them is Michelangelo’s depiction of the Last Judgment, a visual reminder of the stakes involved in their decision.
Also Read: What we know ahead of Pope Francis's funeral
2/3 vote: The moment of election
When a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote:
The cardinal dean asks: “Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?”
If the response is “Yes,” the next question is: “By what name shall you be called?”
Upon acceptance, the man becomes pope instantly, with full rights and authority.
If the elected person is not a bishop — which is rare — they must be ordained immediately before assuming the papacy, since the pope is also the Bishop of Rome.
The Room of Tears
Before appearing to the world, the new pope is led to the "Room of Tears", where he dons papal vestments.
The name reflects the emotional and spiritual weight of the role: isolation, responsibility, and the realisation that one is now the spiritual father of the world's Roman Catholics.
Why the name?
The name “Room of Tears” (Italian: Stanza del Pianto) comes from the deeply emotional moments that have occurred there.
Some popes have reportedly wept or appeared visibly overwhelmed upon entering the room right after their election in the Sistine Chapel.
It's a private space where the new pope prepares for his first appearance — donning one of three prepared papal cassocks (small, medium, large) — before stepping onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the world.
When was it built?
The Room of Tears is part of the Apostolic Palace, which has evolved over centuries. While there's no exact date of the room's construction, it likely dates back to the Renaissance era, possibly the 16th century, when the Sistine Chapel and adjoining rooms were built or renovated under popes like Sixtus IV and Julius II.
It has been used for this purpose since papal conclaves began to be held in the Sistine Chapel in the late 1400s.
Announcement and blessing
The senior cardinal deacon announces the new pope from the balcony: “Habemus Papam”—“We have a pope.”
The newly elected pope then imparts the Urbi et Orbi blessing — to the city and the world.
Not a democracy — a discernment
Though it involves ballots, the conclave is not an election in the political sense.
There is no campaigning, no politicking, and certainly no bribes or promises.
It’s a spiritual exercise, deeply rooted in Catholic theology. The cardinals don’t vote for who they want, but who they believe God wants.
As one priest said, “It’s not about the man the world wants. It’s about the man God calls.”
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