Sede Vacante: Electing a New Pope

Welcome to the Diocese of Providence’s conclave information page.  This page was created to provide the faithful in-depth information about the process by which a new Pope is elected to the Papacy.  Still have a question?  Email us at communications@dioceseofprovidence.org and we’ll do our very best to answer your inquiry.

On Tuesday, March 12, eligible members of the College of Cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel.  The doors will then be locked and the Cardinals will begin the process of choosing a new Holy Father to lead the Roman Catholic Church.

Please click here for a glossary of Conclave-related terms and here for frequently asked questions
about the process by Popes are elected.  You may also click here for a brief history on the Papacy.

Please also visit the website of the Diocesan newspaper, Rhode Island Catholic for additional news and information.

Latest Conclave News

• Rain, cold, can’t keep faithful, curious away from conclave smoke-watch
• What happens after the cardinals elect a new pope?
• More black smoke on morning of conclave’s first full day
• Cardinal Sodano prays for Pope generous in charity
• Whole church called to enter conclave in prayer, archbishop says
• VOTING FOR NEW POPE TO BEGIN MARCH 12
• Sistine Chapel goes from tourist magnet to polling place for pope
  
• No conclave date, but cardinals develop ‘profile’ of new pope
• Cardinals discuss needs of church but don’t set conclave date
• Papal tailors ready no matter what size the new pope is
• Prayer and trembling: Cardinals recount experience of conclave
• Capacity crowd gathers to offer prayers, gratitude for Holy Father
• Pope says he’s going from humble servant to simple pilgrim
• Cardinals’ Catch-22: eager for conclave, but need time to choose well
• Today’s cardinal-electors slightly older than group in 2005 conclave
• Changing rules, pope allows cardinals to move up conclave date
• Canonist explains ‘rigid, highly formal’ rules for electing pope
• What the church needs now: Synod gives clues to cardinals’ priorities
• Between popes: Vatican business continues as usual — almost
• Pope Benedict’s Humble and Courageous Decision

Catholic News Service Video Resources

• A Sistine Chapel star is born
• Clothes fit for a Pope
• Conclave day #2: Black smoke in the AM
• First conclave vote ends with black smoke
• The conclave begins
• Mass celebrated before conclave
• Preparing the Sistine Chapel for the conclave
• Cardinals pray for the conclave
• Preparing for the papal election
• The sealing of the Papal apartments
• A grand exit: Pope Benedict steps down
• Cardinal Dolan: Three challenges for the next pope
• Pope Benedict pledges obedience to his successor (closed captions)
• Cardinal Wuerl: Next pope must confront secularism
• Rome seminarians on the papal transition
• Faces and places of the papal transition
• The precedent for papal resignation
• Vatican expert on the papal transition