A conclave is a private and secret meeting, most notably referring to the gathering of the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church to elect a new pope. The term "conclave" comes from the Latin cum clave , meaning "with a key," highlighting the practice of locking the cardinals in seclusion until they elect the pope
. In the context of the Catholic Church, a papal conclave occurs after the death or resignation of a pope. The cardinals under the age of 80 convene, typically in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, where they vote in successive rounds until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority. The process is conducted under strict secrecy, with cardinals taking an oath not to communicate with the outside world during the conclave. The election is signaled by smoke from the chapel's chimney: black smoke means no pope has been chosen yet, while white smoke announces the election of a new pope
. The conclave is both a religious and political event, guided by prayer and reflection, and is considered an example of direct democracy within the Church. It is designed to ensure the Holy Spirit guides the election of the best candidate to lead the Catholic Church as the Bishop of Rome and successor to Saint Peter
