Pope Francis Facts
How old was Pope Francis when he died?
88
Who meets for the Papal conclave?
Cardinals
How many Cardinals are there?
There are 252 cardinals, but only 135 are eligible to vote in the conclave.
What location do the Cardinals gather for Conclave?
Sistine Chapel
What color robes do Cardinals wear?
Red
What 3 languages could Pope Francis speak?
Spanish, Italian, German
What place does the Conclave take place?
Vatican City
At what age are cardinals not allowed to vote?
80 and over
What color is the smoke if a Pope has not been choosen?
Black smoke indicates that a vote was not successful. White smoke tells everyone that the pope has been chosen. The colors are the result of chemicals added to the ballots as they are burned.
Who chooses the Pope's new name?
The new Pope selects his own name
On which church holiday did Pope Francis die?
What does the term 'conclave' mean?
With a key
How much of a majority of votes does it take to elect a new pope?
Papal elections are held by secret ballot. It takes a ⅔ majority of votes to elect a new pope – in this conclave, that means 90 votes. There are two votes each morning and two each afternoon until a new pope is elected.
What color is the smoke if a Pope has been choosen
White smoke tells everyone that the pope has been chosen. The colors are the result of chemicals added to the ballots as they are burned.
What color robe does the new Pope wear?
White
What Saint was Pope Francis named after?
Saint Francis of Assisi
How many American Cardinals are there today?
17
How many votes occur each day?
There are two votes each morning and two each afternoon until a new pope is elected.
Who was the first Pope?
The first pope was St. Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ.
When the Pope is elected what is the name of the room they move to?
He then goes to a small room off to the side of the Sistine Chapel called the Room of Tears. The name comes from the many tears newly elected popes have shed in it as they spend a few minutes getting used to their new role.
What was the Pope's nickname
Pope Francis was the 266th pope in the Roman Catholic Church’s nearly 2000-year history. The first pope was St. Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ.
What happens to the ballots after each vote?
They are burned
How do we know if voting occurred?
The only news that the world outside receives about what’s happening inside the conclave is through smoke issuing from the chimney.
What do the word habemus papam mean?
Once the white smoke has appeared from the Sistine Chapel chimney, it’s only a matter of time before the announcement is made. The words habemus papam (we have a pope) are announced from the balcony at St. Peter’s Basilica.