KAMPALA, UGANDA — Uganda will not have a representative participating in the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope following the passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday.
According to the papal envoy to Uganda, Archbishop Luigi Bianco, the Church Code established by Pope Paul IV in 1559 stipulates that any cardinal who has reached the age of 80 is ineligible to cast a vote in the election of a new pontiff.
Currently, Uganda’s sole surviving cardinal, His Eminence Emmanuel Wamala, is 98 years old. While cardinals over the age of 80 are not permitted to vote in papal conclaves, they still maintain a role within the College of Cardinals. Their responsibilities include serving as advisors to the pope and participating in General Congregations, which contribute to shaping the desired qualities for the next leader of the Catholic Church.
Of the current 252 cardinals globally, only 138, those under the age of 80, will convene at the Vatican to participate in the papal conclave. This secretive and centuries-old process is undertaken to choose the successor to Pope Francis.
The conclave is anticipated to commence between 10 and 20 days after Pope Francis’ burial, which is scheduled for Saturday inside the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Once the conclave begins, all communication devices, newspapers, and internet access are strictly prohibited until a new pope is elected and the announcement is made publicly.
Election to the papacy requires a two-thirds majority vote. If no candidate reaches this threshold in a given ballot, the ballots are burned, and the resulting black smoke emanating from the Sistine Chapel chimney signals to the outside world that no decision has been reached.
Upon achieving a consensus, white smoke will appear, indicating that a new pope has been chosen.
As the Catholic Church prepares for the conclave, several high-ranking cardinals have emerged as potential successors to Pope Francis. Among the prominent candidates frequently mentioned are three African cardinals: Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana, Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea, and Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Until the conclave concludes and white smoke rises above the Sistine Chapel, the identity of the next pope will remain a subject of widespread global anticipation.
Summary of how the papal conclave will elect a new pope
- The papal Conclave, depicted in the film The Two Popes, is an ancient ritual for electing the Catholic Church’s leader. Cardinals under 80 gather in the Sistine Chapel to vote in secret ballots.
- Cardinals, chosen by the pope, are bishops and Vatican officials. While there’s an unofficial term for potential candidates (“Papabile”), the frontrunner doesn’t always win.
- Four ballots are cast daily until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority. Votes are tallied, and if no one wins, the ballots are burned, producing black smoke.
- Informal discussions between voting rounds allow cardinals to influence opinions and potentially shift support.
- Upon reaching a two-thirds majority, the elected cardinal chooses a papal name and appears on the St. Peter’s Basilica balcony, where the announcement “Habemus Papam” is made, followed by the new pope’s blessing.