Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, the College of Cardinals is scheduled to convene in Rome`s Sistine Chapel on May 7 to elect the new Pope. Given that the Vatican is located within Rome, Italy`s Serie A football league promptly decided to postpone the matches originally scheduled for that Monday. There is also a possibility that one match this upcoming weekend could be affected. The conclave and the subsequent election of a new Pope are expected to draw millions of pilgrims to Rome in the coming days to celebrate the new Bishop of Rome, potentially impacting public events.
Understanding the Papal Conclave
The conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals specifically for the purpose of electing a new Pope after the death or resignation of the previous one. The word “conclave” derives from the Latin “cum clave,” meaning “with a key.” This refers to the historical tradition of locking the cardinals inside a secure location, typically the Sistine Chapel, to ensure privacy and prevent any external contact until a new Pope is elected. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to participate in the voting; 133 cardinals are qualified to elect Pope Francis`s successor.
The election is conducted through secret ballots, and a two-thirds majority of the votes is required for a candidate to be elected Pope. After every two rounds of voting, the ballots are burned. Black smoke indicates that a decision has not yet been reached, while white smoke signals that a new Pope has been successfully elected. The conclave concludes only when a new Pope is chosen, who then decides upon his papal name. The most recent conclave took place in 2013 following the resignation of Benedict XVI, and it elected Pope Francis within two days.
Potential Impact on Serie A Matches
Experts anticipate that the new Pope will likely be elected between Thursday and Friday. However, if the conclave extends longer than expected, the Serie A match between Lazio and Juventus, scheduled for Saturday at 12:00 p.m. ET, could potentially be affected due to public security considerations arising from large gatherings in the city. Despite this possibility, currently, there are no specific indications that this scenario is imminent or that the match will be delayed.
