The Vatican is the center of attention! The process of choosing the new Pope is about to start now that the cardinals have gathered. The conclave, which will begin Wednesday afternoon behind closed doors in the Sistine Chapel, will allow all cardinals under 80 to cast their votes for the next head of the Church, which has 1.4 billion members.
Conclaves are frequently held over a few days, with several votes taken before a candidate receives the three-quarters majority needed to become pope. All eyes are on the chimney above the Sistine Chapel as the world waits for the outcome of the papal conclave.
Here, a centuries-old custom is carried out: the release of black or white smoke to signify the election—or lack thereof—of a new pope. However, there is an intriguing fusion of spirituality and science hidden behind this enduring tradition.
How do smoke signals work?
Cardinals used paper ballots to choose the new pope during the conclave. The ballots are burned in a specially made burner within the chapel following each voting session.
The public can infer what transpired inside from the color of the smoke that escapes from the chimney: white smoke signals the election of a new pope, while black smoke indicates no decision has been made.
The chemistry of color
In the past, the Vatican used pitch or tar to create black smoke and wet straw to create white smoke with the ballots. However, this frequently produced gray plumes that were unclear to observers and the media. The Vatican updated the procedure in 2005 to remove any room for debate, adding a second stove and exact chemical combinations to guarantee distinct, unambiguous signs.
Burning the votes with substances like potassium nitrate, anthracene, and sulfur that produce thick, carbon-rich smoke now results in black smoke. An inconclusive vote is clearly indicated by this thick, dark smoke.
Chemicals such as lactose, potassium chlorate, and pine resin are added to the votes to produce white smoke. The successful election of a new pope is obviously announced by the dazzling, white plume created by this mixture.
Modern Tradition Rooted In Science
To ensure that the color is clear and visible to the masses assembled in St. Peter’s Square and watchers throughout the world, the Vatican even hires pyrotechnics experts to test and refine the smoke signals.
In addition to maintaining secrecy within the conclave, the ceremony uses science to perpetuate one of the most revered traditions of the Church while simultaneously maintaining a direct and dramatic relationship with the faithful.
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