He Vatican has implemented rigorous measures to guarantee absolute secret during the conclave That Inscia this Wednesday, May 7, where the cardinals will choose the new Pope to replace the deceased Francisco. These provisions are detailed in the Universi Dominici Gregis Apostolic Constitution, promulgated by John Paul II in 1996 and reinforced by its successors.
This Constitution establishes the norms that govern the conclaveincluding the duration of the same, the eligibility of the cardinals, the voting process and the Secret rules and austerity.
On eligibility, the Church determines that Only cardinals under 80 can vote in the conclave.
The Sistine Chapel on the eve of the conclave in the Vatican. (Photo of Handout / Vatican Media / AFP).
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It is established that four secret votes must be made every day, in addition to a vote the afternoon in which the conclave.
To choose the new Pope, at least two thirds of the voters present need to be obtained. 133 cardinals are expected to participate in the conclave.
The origin of the 133 cardinals who will choose the Pope. (AFP).
The 133 voters will be locked since Wednesday in the Sistine chapel To vote for Francisco’s successor. At the end of each day the night will spend in the Santa Marta houseapproximately one kilometer away.
It should be noted that of those 133 cardinals, 108 were appointed by the Pope Francis.
Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla leaves at the end of the meeting of the General Congregation of Cardinals, Plaza de San Pedro, city of the Vatican, May 6, 2025. (EFE/EPA/FABIO Frustaci).
The main measures that guarantee the secret of the conclave:
Cardinals attend a mass in the Basilica of San Pedro in the Vatican, on April 30, 2025. (Photo of Tiziana Fabi / AFP).
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1.- Secret oath and excommunication threat
Before the beginning of conclaveboth the cardinals and support personnel (chefs, translators, medical staff, among others) must provide a Solemn oath of keeping everything related to the choice process. The violation of this oath entails the Automatic excommunication penaltythe most serious sanction in the Catholic church.
Only the support personnel who will provide the oath in the Pauline chapel of the Vatican adds about 100 people.
While The cardinals will lend their oath on Wednesday in the Sistine Chapelbefore casting your first votes.
The oath that everyone must pronounce says:
“I promise and swear that, unless he receives a special faculty expressly granted by the newly chosen pontiff or by his successors, I will keep absolute and perpetual secret with all those who are not part of the College of Cardinals voters in relation to all matters directly or indirectly related to the votes cast and their scrutiny for the choice of the high pontiff …
Similarly, I promise and swear to use any audio or video equipment capable of recording anything that happens during the election period within the Vatican city, and in particular anything that somehow, directly or indirectly, is related to the process of the choice itself …
I take this oath fully aware that an infraction of the same will incur the automatic excommunication penalty reserved for the Apostolic Headquarters. May God and these holy gospels, who play with my hand, help me. ”
At the end of the oath, the master of the liturgical celebrations, Diego Ravelli, will proclaim the ‘extra omnes’ (all outside) and the doors will close. Only the cardinals remain inside. Then a first vote will proceed.
2.- Total isolation and communications control
During the conclavethe cardinals stay in the Santa Marta house, which is sealed with 80 lead seal to guarantee its isolation.
The use of electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets or computers has been prohibited. Signal inhibitors have also been installed to avoid any type of communication with the outside.
Cardinals must deliver their cell phones in Santa Marta And they will be returned at the end of the conclave.
In addition, the same governorate of the state of the city of the Vatican communicated on Monday to all its residents and workers that “It will deactivate all the transmission facilities of the cellular and radio telecommunications signal”.
The signal off will begin on May 7 from 3:00 p.m. local time (13:00 GMT).
3.- Physical and technological security
The Sistine Chapel has been subjected to rigorous controls to avoid any espionage or filtration attempt. Facilities were thoroughly reviewed to detect and eliminate possible recording or transmission devices, and modern technologies are used, such as frequency inhibitors and structures that block electronic signals.
4. Ritual and symbolic procedures
He conclave It includes traditional rituals that reinforce the secret and solemnity of the event. For example, before starting the voting, the phrase “Extra omnes” (“Everyone outside!”) Pronounced to indicate that only the voters must remain. Besides, Voting ballots are burned after each scrutinyand the resulting smoke (black or white) indicates to the outside world whether or not to be chosen to a new Pope.
Coclave keys. (AFP).
