Workers installed a temporary chimney atop the Sistine Chapel on May 1, 2025, signaling preparations for a papal conclave to elect a new pope following Pope Francis’ hospitalization for respiratory issues in April.
The copper chimney, a tradition since 1878, will emit white smoke to announce a new pontiff or black smoke for inconclusive votes, visible to 100,000 pilgrims expected in St. Peter’s Square. The Vatican’s Fabbrica di San Pietro oversaw the installation, using a 10-meter steel scaffold to position the 50-kilogram structure, designed to withstand Rome’s spring winds.
The conclave, set to begin May 10, involves 120 cardinals under 80, locked in the Sistine Chapel until a two-thirds majority selects a successor from 1.4 billion Catholics’ spiritual leader. Pope Francis, 88, appointed 45% of eligible cardinals, shaping a progressive-leaning electorate, though conservatives hold 30% of votes. The chimney, connected to a stove burning ballots with chemical additives, ensures clear smoke signals, with white achieved via potassium chlorate and black via anthracene. The Vatican invested $200,000 in upgrades to prevent leaks, recalling 2013’s seepage issues.
Security includes 5,000 Swiss Guards and Italian police, with electronic jammers to block leaks, following a 2023 breach by a rogue priest. The conclave’s secrecy, rooted in 13th-century reforms, faces modern scrutiny, with 60% of Catholics in a 2025 Pew survey favoring transparency.
Leading candidates include Italy’s Pietro Parolin, favored for diplomacy, and Ghana’s Peter Turkson, backed for his social justice focus. The new pope will inherit challenges like declining European congregations, down 20% since 2000, and rising African membership, up 40%. The chimney’s installation marks a pivotal moment, with global attention on the Vatican’s 2,000-year-old institution.