How the Next Pope Will Be Chosen | Indonomix Explainer

On Easter Monday, the world awoke to a historic moment. Pope Francis, the first Latin American Pontiff and a modern reformist, passed away at the age of 88. He died in Casa Santa Marta, the modest Vatican residence he chose over the grandeur of the Apostolic Palace. With his death begins one of the world’s most mysterious political and spiritual processes—the selection of a new Pope.

In India and across the globe, this development has triggered both spiritual reflection and geopolitical curiosity. The Roman Catholic Church commands the faith of 1.4 billion people—an enormous moral constituency larger than that of any single nation-state. And now, the Church is preparing to elect its next global shepherd.

A Humble Farewell to a Humble Pope

True to his legacy, Pope Francis requested a simplified funeral. Unlike his predecessors, there will be no triple-nested coffin, no grand body viewing by the cardinals. His remains will lie in a closed coffin inside St. Peter’s Basilica, resting in simplicity.

As per tradition, his final resting symbols will include:

• The pallium, symbol of his bishopric authority.
• A rogito, or sealed document summarising his papacy.
• Three pouches of coins—gold, silver, and copper—one for each year of his service.

He had chosen his tomb years earlier at the Basilica of St Mary Major, not far from Rome’s bustling Termini Station.

The Sede Vacante: The Empty Chair of Peter

With his passing, the Vatican enters a phase called sede vacante, or “the seat being vacant.” The Papal apartments are sealed. The Fisherman’s Ring, once unique to Francis and used to seal official documents, is ceremonially broken—symbolising the end of his reign.

Until a new Pope is elected, the Church’s administrative head is Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, the Camerlengo, who oversees this transition with quiet ceremony.

What Makes the Papacy Unique?

To the modern observer, especially from regions like India where faith intersects vividly with politics and identity, the Pope is a unique figure: a global religious leader with soft-power influence that transcends nations. He’s the spiritual successor to Saint Peter, the first bishop of Rome, and by Catholic tradition, the earthly representative of Jesus Christ.

But he is also, quite literally, a head of state—the Vatican is a sovereign nation, albeit the smallest in the world. The papacy represents a blend of theology, diplomacy, governance, and symbolism unmatched anywhere else.

Who Chooses the Pope—and How?

Over the next 15–20 days, all cardinals under the age of 80 will be summoned to Rome. This includes 135 cardinal electors, of whom 108 were appointed by Pope Francis—a clear indicator that his ideological legacy may influence the outcome.

They will live in a secure Vatican guesthouse and walk each day to the Sistine Chapel. There, cut off from the world, with no phones, press, or email, they will vote in complete secrecy.

The vote is conducted in silence, under Michelangelo’s fresco of the Last Judgement—a visual reminder of divine accountability. Each cardinal writes the Latin words “Eligo in Summum Pontificem” (“I elect as Supreme Pontiff”) and names his choice.

Votes are counted manually, and after each round, ballots are burned. If no Pope is elected, chemicals are added to produce black smoke. When a Pope is chosen by two-thirds majority, white smoke billows into the Roman sky, and bells ring across the city.

It’s one of the last remaining public spectacles that holds the entire globe in quiet anticipation.

Why It Matters to the Global South

The 21st-century Catholic Church is no longer Eurocentric. A quarter of all cardinals are now from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. India, with its deep-rooted Christian heritage dating back to St. Thomas the Apostle, and its vibrant Catholic communities in Kerala, Goa, and the Northeast, watches with interest.

The next Pope will shape interfaith dialogues, especially in multi-religious societies like ours. His voice will carry weight on climate justice, social inequality, migration, and the refugee crisis—all issues where faith-based morality intersects with real-world governance.

Pope Francis made deliberate efforts to decentralize the Church. He spoke often of a “Church of the poor for the poor,” echoing concerns resonant across developing nations.

The Top Contenders: Papabili from Every Continent

Though predictions are speculative—conclaves are notoriously unpredictable—some names repeatedly surface in Vatican circles and Catholic media:

• Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines): A favorite among reformists and known for his emotional storytelling.
• Cardinal Peter Turkson (Ghana): Advocated for economic justice and climate change action.
• Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (Italy): Known for dialogue with secularists and peace efforts in Africa.
• Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline (France): A quiet intellectual with strong theological credentials.

There are also voices for a Pope from Africa or Asia for the first time in history—symbolic of a truly global Church.

When the New Pope Is Chosen

Once elected, the new Pope chooses a papal name—a tradition that signals his intended mission. When Jorge Bergoglio chose Francis in 2013, it marked a turn toward humility and reform.

He is then led to the Room of Tears, where he dons the white cassock for the first time. Moments later, he steps onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, as a cardinal proclaims to the world:
“Habemus Papam” — We have a Pope.

For a moment, a hush falls over the crowd before jubilation erupts. A new spiritual era begins.

What the Next Pope Will Inherit

The next Pope faces a deeply divided world—and a deeply challenged Church. Scandals over sexual abuse, declining church attendance in the West, and internal tensions between conservatives and progressives await him.

He will also inherit:

• Calls to re-examine celibacy and the role of women in Church leadership.
• Pressure to reform the Curia (Church bureaucracy).
• Ongoing challenges of abuse transparency and legal accountability.
• A need to reconnect with youth, especially in an age of digital secularism.

But he will also find hope in the Church’s growth across the Global South. In India, Africa, and parts of Asia, Catholic schools, hospitals, and social institutions continue to thrive. The Pope’s voice remains powerful on issues of justice, environment, and peace.

Why India Should Watch

India is home to nearly 20 million Catholics, many of whom are descendants of ancient Christian communities. The selection of the next Pope carries implications for religious harmony, minority rights, and India’s engagement with global Christianity.

Moreover, in an age where soft power defines geopolitics, the Vatican remains a unique actor—one that champions compassion over competition, dignity over dominance.

The conclave is not just a ritual. It is a global dialogue in symbols—faith meeting governance, tradition adapting to change, and spirituality challenging power. It reminds the world that sometimes, the most consequential elections are not televised debates or algorithm-fed campaigns, but silent ballots cast beneath timeless art.