On the afternoon of Wednesday, May 7 in Italy, during the morning in the United States and Latin America, in the Sistine Chapel the phrase “extra omnes” will be heard, and all individuals other than the 133 cardinals will have to leave the famous place to begin the papal conclave that will elect the new pope.
In the following hours, or days, the cardinals will carry out the necessary number of votes until achieving the two-thirds majority required to appoint a new pontiff.
According to the College of Cardinals calendar, this Wednesday there will be only one vote and then between May 8 and 10, up to four votes can be held daily. If there is no consensus, May 11 will be a day of rest and prayers to resume the process.
How long can the conclave last?
There is no limit on the number of days for a conclave, but it is established that if after 33 votes no candidate reaches the necessary majority, the election will be limited to the two cardinals who have received the most support. In that final round, neither of the two can vote.
Anyway, it is highly unlikely that such a scenario will occur.
In recent times, the voting process usually closes in less than 48 hours. In 2005, the conclave that elected Benedict XVI was resolved in approximately 26 hours (two days) after four votes. In 2013, the appointment of Pope Francis was finalized in 25 and a half hours (two days) after five votes.
In the case of John Paul II, in October 1978, the conclave lasted four days and eight elections.
Among the most extreme examples is the conclave held between 1268 and 1271, which lasted 1,006 days. The lack of consensus among the different currents within the College of Cardinals prevented a decision from being reached for almost three years. In contrast, the shortest conclave took place in October 1503 and concluded in just ten hours, resulting in the election of Julius II.
Vatican experts estimate that the conclave starting this Wednesday could last two days.