The death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025 marked the beginning of one of the events most significant for the Catholic Church: the Conclave.
This solemn process aims to elect the new spiritual leader for the more than 1.4 billion Catholics around the world.
If you want to follow each step of this historic election, see how to watch the Conclave live and understand its details
🕊️ What is the Conclave?
The Conclave is the assembly of cardinals gathered to elect the new Pope. The word “conclave” comes from Latin with key, meaning “with key”, indicating the isolation of the cardinals during the process. They gather in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, remaining isolated from the outside world until a new pontiff is chosen.
📅 When does the 2025 Conclave start?
The Conclave is scheduled to begin on May 7, 2025. 133 cardinals under the age of 80 will participate, as established by Church norms. For a new Pope to be elected, a candidate must receive at least two-thirds of the votes, that is, 89 votes.
🔴 How to attend to the Conclave live?
Although the votes take place behind closed doors, it is possible to follow the most emblematic moments of the Conclave through broadcasts live. The smoke coming out of the Sistine Chapel chimney indicates the result of the votes:
Black smoke: there was no election of a new Pope.
White smoke: a new Pope has been chosen.
These moments are broadcast across several channels and platforms:
Vatican News: official broadcasts direct from the Vatican.
YouTube: Several channels, such as Vatican News, offer live broadcasts.
TV2000: Italian Catholic channel that broadcasts events from the Vatican.
Vatican RAI: RAI department dedicated to covering religious affairs and Vatican events.
Telepace: Broadcaster that transmits religious celebrations and events directly from the Vatican
🎬 Film “Conclave”: a cinematic vision
For those who want to better understand the behind-the-scenes of the papal election, the film Conclave, directed by Edward Berger and starring Ralph Fiennes, offers an engaging dramatization of the process. Based on the book by Robert Harris, the film is available on the following platforms:
Amazon Prime Video: for subscribers.
Google Play, YouTube, Apple TV and Claro TV+: available for rent.
📢 Stay in the loop
The election of a new Pope is a moment of great importance for the Catholic Church and for the world. Attending the Conclave allows you to witness history being written. Stay tuned for broadcasts and updates so you don't miss any details of this unique event.