New conclave starts: Who will be the next Pope of the Church?

New conclave starts: Who will be the next Pope of the Church?

On April 30, 2025, the Catholic Church is preparing for a significant change. The news of Pope Francis' death on April 21 made waves and set in motion preparations for the election of his successor. The conclave, a meeting of cardinals to elect a new pope, will begin on May 7, at least 15 days after the pope's death. This tradition of electing the Pope, shrouded in its intimate secrecy, is highlighted by the event theme of the panel discussion “Conclave – Smoke Signals of Change?” further treated at the Theological Faculty of the KU. The event will take place on Tuesday, May 6th, at 8 p.m. in the foyer of the Marktplatz 7 building and promises an in-depth discussion of the challenges ahead.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Dr. Christian Klenk and Theresia Kamp take place. The interviewees include top-class scientists, including Prof. Dr. Katharina Karl, Prof. Dr. Rafael Rieger and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Bärsch, and theology student Annabell Kühnel. All those involved will address the questions surrounding the conclave and the upcoming change in the Catholic Church. This discussion is particularly relevant since the electors for the upcoming conclave, a total of 135 cardinals, find themselves in a tense situation.

The conclave and its meaning

The word “conclave” comes from Latin and means “with key”. This is a gathering of cardinals who meet in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican to elect the new head of the Catholic Church. Traditionally, the conclave is a secret affair, with the cardinals sealed off from the outside world to ensure independence and secrecy. This is now done symbolically, whereas physical confinement used to be practiced. The process requires those eligible to vote to first take an oath of secrecy before returning to the Sistine Chapel to vote.

There will be one round of voting on the first day of the conclave, followed by up to four rounds of voting per day in the following days. To be elected, a candidate needs a two-thirds majority. The electoral process is accompanied by prayers and discussions, but without official campaign speeches. The votes are burned between ballots; black smoke signals that no pope has been elected, while white smoke indicates the election of a new pope.

The challenges of choice

The Catholic Church is currently facing many challenges that go beyond the election of a new leader. After the death of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, there is already speculation about possible successors. The three German cardinals eligible to vote, Reinhard Marx, Rainer Maria Woelki and Gerhard Ludwig Müller, are the focus of this discussion. The conclave is not only an election, but also a sign of change for the global Catholic community.

The funeral of Pope Francis on April 26th in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore has already triggered sadness and gratitude for the work of the late pontiff. With the conclave beginning on May 7, 2025, the Church is facing a crucial moment in its history. The new pope will not only inherit Francis' legacy, but also open a new chapter that could determine the direction of the pontificate and the Catholic Church as a whole.

It remains to be seen what impulses and reforms the new Pope will introduce once the election is complete and the important “Habemus Papam!” will proclaim the depth of the Catholic community. As events unfold, forums like the panel discussion at KU provide an important platform to reflect on the challenges of change.

For more information about the upcoming events and discussions, those interested can visit the ku.de, ruhrnachrichten.de and br.de visit.