You know a new pope is elected through a specific and traditional process carried out by the College of Cardinals in a conclave held in the Sistine Chapel. Here is how it works:
- The cardinal electors vote by secret ballot, needing a two-thirds majority to elect a new pope. Multiple rounds of voting occur, typically four times a day, until a candidate receives the required votes
- After each round of voting, the ballots are burned in a stove connected to a chimney visible from St. Peter’s Square. If no pope is elected, the smoke is black (fumata nera). When a pope is elected, the smoke is white (fumata bianca), signaling to the public that a new pope has been chosen
- Once a candidate receives the two-thirds vote, the dean of the College of Cardinals asks if he accepts the election. If he accepts, he chooses a papal name and is vested in papal garments
- The senior cardinal deacon then announces the election to the public from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica with the traditional Latin declaration "Habemus Papam" ("We have a pope"). The new pope appears on the balcony to bless the crowd
- If voting continues without a result for several days, the cardinals pause for prayer and reflection before resuming voting
In summary, the key public sign that a new pope has been elected is the appearance of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney, followed by the announcement "Habemus Papam" from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica
