A fact-checked, traveller-friendly deep-dive for people who want the real story about the conclave!
The conclave
The next great Vatican drama, the conclave, will open on 7 May. The word conclave comes from the Latin cum clave “with a key”. For centuries, the cardinal-electors have been physically locked inside the Sistine Chapel until white smoke proclaims Habemus Papam! Yet this secrecy breeds myths. Visitors routinely ask our guides about hidden ballot boxes, camp-beds behind the altar, and whether an ordinary person may wake up pope unexpectedly!
So let’s look at the biggest myths — and show you where, on our guided route, you can still see tangible traces of this enigmatic election.
To sort fact from fiction, we are using the official Vatican rules set out in Universi Dominici Gregis. Below you’ll find 7 persistent myths—along with information on the exact spots you’ll see on our private and small group tour.
Myth #1 – “Any Catholic man can become pope.”
The reality – Church law does allow any baptised Catholic male to accept the papacy, but only cardinals under 80 may vote, and in practice they choose one of their own. At this conclave 134 electors will cast ballots.
Myth #2 – “Electors sleep on narrow cots in the Sistine Chapel.”
The reality – Since 1996 they stay in Casa Santa Marta, a five-storey guesthouse with 106 suites and 22 single rooms. They then walk along the Via delle Fondamenta to each voting session.
Myth #3 – “Conclaves last for weeks or even months, just like the Middle Ages.”
The reality – Modern conclaves average three days. If after 33 rounds no candidate has the required two-thirds majority, the rules—tightened in Universi Dominici Gregis—force a run-off between the top two vote-getters until one wins.
Myth #4 – “Whoever gets the most votes wins—it’s a simple majority.”
The reality – A pope needs a two-thirds super-majority; this time that means at least 90 of 134 votes. The high bar pushes cardinals toward consensus and discourages overt campaigning.
Myth #5 – “The black-and-white smoke comes solely from burning the paper ballots.”
The reality – Ballots alone burn too cleanly. Since 1963 Vatican chemists have added potassium perchlorate, anthracene and sulphur for black smoke; potassium chlorate, lactose and pine rosin for white smoke. Bells now ring with the white plume to help colour-blind onlookers.
Myth #6 – “Cardinals tweet or phone aides between ballots.”
The reality – Once the command “Extra omnes” (“Everybody out!”) is given, electors surrender devices and are bound by an oath of absolute secrecy under pain of excommunication.
Myth #7 – “Votes are cast on fancy printed cards.”
The reality – Each elector hand-writes a simple Latin line: “Eligo in Summum Pontificem…” then threads the ballot onto a needle and string before it’s counted and burned.
Why it matters to travellers
A good Vatican guide does more than point at marble; we decode living rituals that still shape the daily faith of millions. When you step into the Sistine Chapel with us—before the crowds, when its hush is closest to conclave silence—every fresco and floor tile gains new meaning:
- The Last Judgement above the altar reminds electors of eternal stakes.
- The narrow Bronze Portal is the very door sealed “Extra omnes.”
- The temporary twin stoves reveal how 21st-century chemistry meets medieval pageantry.
Armed with the facts, you’ll watch the next puff of smoke (or replay historic footage) not as a bystander but as an informed witness to a 2,000-year-old tradition.
Ready to experience the conclave’s stage set for yourself? Join our Vatican City Small Group Tour or plan a wider Roman adventure with our Rome destination guide. Group size is capped at 15 and skip-the-line entry is always included—so you can focus on the secrets, not the queues.
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