Vatican firefighters installed a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel to signal the election of a new pope, accelerating preparations for the conclave scheduled for May 7.
The chimney will burn ballots cast by cardinals every two rounds of voting, producing black smoke if no new pope is chosen. However, if there is a winner, it will produce white smoke, signaling the election.
Cardinals have been meeting in pre-conclave discussions to discuss the needs of the Catholic Church and the type of pope needed to lead it. These consultations include all cardinals, including those over 80 who are ineligible to vote.
The Vatican is facing dire financial challenges, and cardinals are discussing priorities going forward. Some conservatives hope a new pope will reassert core church teachings and act as a stabilizing figure in the Vatican bureaucracy.
Cardinal Beniamino Stella, an older non-voting cardinal, has criticized Pope Francis’ reform of the Vatican bureaucracy, which allowed women to head certain offices. He believes this reform undermines traditional authority.
However, other cardinals, such as Fernando Filoni, emphasize the need for unity over pursuing Pope Francis’ legacy. “The pope must ensure the unity of all the church,” Filoni said.
As the cardinals prepare for the conclave, their diverse perspectives and experiences will shape the election of a new pope.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-chimney-97dd5a6cb24294c85e48a933bf4e67b4