Cardinal Statistics, Conclave Participants After the Death of Pope Francis

The Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, passed away at the age of 88 on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 7:35 AM Vatican time (2:35 PM WIB).

According to Katadata's report, the Pope, born on December 17, 1936, had been diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia on February 18, 2025. He was reportedly in critical condition during a week-long hospital stay.

Following the death of the Supreme Pontiff, the Roman Catholic Church will manage several matters, from the funeral arrangements to the selection of Pope Francis's successor.

The College of Cardinals is responsible for electing the new Pope. However, the Cardinals' role extends beyond this; they also serve as the Pope's chief advisors, assist in the governance of the Roman Catholic Church, and lead major archdioceses worldwide.

According to the official Vatican website, press.vatican.va, there were 252 cardinals worldwide as of April 19, 2025.

135 of them are eligible to vote for a new Pope, being under the age of 80. The remaining 117 cardinals are not eligible to vote.

Reuters also reported that these 135 cardinals are qualified, according to Church law, to participate in the conclave, the process of electing a new Pope after the death of a Pope. They are known as cardinal electors, with 108 appointed by Francis and the others by his predecessors.

(Read also: This Statistic of the Global Catholic Church Hierarchy in 2021-2022)

The Process of Replacing the Pope

After the Pope's death, a period known as *sede vacante*, or "vacant seat" in Latin, begins. During the *sede vacante*, the College of Cardinals governs the Roman Catholic Church with limited authority. The Cardinal Camerlengo, or Head of the Papal Household, oversees the Church's temporal affairs. All other heads of the Roman Curia cease their duties.

Subsequently, the College of Cardinals will convene for a secret election of a new Pope, known as the conclave. Technically, any baptized Roman Catholic male is eligible to become Pope.

However, throughout history, Popes have always been chosen from the College of Cardinals. Candidates do not campaign for the position. Cardinals considered strong contenders are referred to as *papabile*, or "capable of being elected Pope".

The Cardinals are secluded in the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, to prevent external influence. They take an oath of secrecy, and violations result in severe ecclesiastical penalties.

Only cardinals under 80 years of age are permitted to vote secretly. Their number is never more than 120. They will undergo a series of ballots until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority vote of the cardinals.

Ballots are burned after each voting session with a chemical, *fumata nera*, producing black smoke if the vote is inconclusive. *Fumata bianca*, producing white smoke, signals the election of a new Pope.

Once a cardinal receives the majority vote to accept the papacy, he will choose his papal name. The senior cardinal deacon then publicly announces the new Pope from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.

(Read Katadata: What Happens After Pope Francis Dies?)