The time it takes to elect a pope during a papal conclave varies widely, with no fixed duration. The conclave begins 15 to 20 days after the previous pope's death or resignation, and voting continues until a candidate receives a two- thirds majority plus one vote. Typical Duration and Process:
- On the first day, cardinals may hold one round of voting in the afternoon, consisting of two ballots.
- From the second day onward, there are usually two rounds of voting each morning and two each afternoon.
- If no pope is elected after three days, voting is paused for up to a day to allow for prayer and discussion.
- The conclave continues with daily voting rounds until a candidate reaches the required two-thirds majority
Historical Context:
- The shortest conclave on record took only about 10 hours in 1503.
- The longest conclave lasted nearly three years (about 1,000 days) in the late 13th century, which led to the formal establishment of conclave procedures.
- In modern times, conclaves typically last between two and three days.
- The longest conclave in the past 200 years lasted 51 days in 1831.
- Recent conclaves, such as those in 2005 and 2013, lasted about two days each
In summary, while a papal conclave can theoretically last indefinitely until a two-thirds majority is achieved, in practice, modern conclaves usually conclude within a few days.
