The election of the 267th Pope is set to begin on May 7, following the completion of the Novemdiales Masses dedicated to praying for the soul of the late Pope Francis. Cardinals currently in Rome have mutually agreed to start the conclave on this date. The decision was finalized on Monday morning during the fifth General Congregation meeting at the Vatican, with around 180 cardinals participating, slightly over a hundred of whom are eligible to vote. The Sistine Chapel within Vatican City will host the conclave and will remain closed to visitors for the duration of the proceedings.

Before the conclave officially starts, a solemn Eucharistic ceremony known as the Mass Pro Eligendo Papa will be celebrated with all electing cardinals in attendance. Later that afternoon, the cardinal electors will make a formal procession into the Sistine Chapel, where the conclave will commence. Upon entering, each elector will swear an oath in accordance with the guidelines of Universi Dominici Gregis, committing themselves to carry out the Petrine Ministry faithfully if chosen, to maintain strict secrecy about the proceedings, and to resist any external interference.

Following this, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations will order everyone not involved in the election to leave the chapel, proclaiming "extra omnes." Only the Master and the cleric tasked with delivering a final meditation will stay behind. This reflection serves to remind the electors of the immense responsibility they bear and the need for pure intentions guided solely by the will of God. After the meditation, both the cleric and the Master exit, leaving the cardinal electors to begin their sacred task.

Once enclosed within the Sistine Chapel, the electors are completely cut off from the outside world. No letters, phone calls, news media, or any other forms of communication are permitted except in extreme emergencies. All discussions must be kept confidential, ensuring that the selection process remains wholly independent and free from outside influence.

A two-thirds majority of those present is required to elect the new Pope. If the total number of electors is not divisible by three, the threshold is slightly adjusted. The initial afternoon may see only one round of voting; subsequent days will feature two rounds each morning and afternoon. After each vote, the ballots are burned. Black smoke from the chapel’s chimney signals an inconclusive vote, while white smoke heralds the election of a new Pope.

If no consensus is reached after three days, the electors are allowed a brief pause for prayer and informal discussions, along with a spiritual exhortation delivered by the Cardinal Proto-Deacon. Voting then resumes with renewed focus.

Once a candidate has been elected, the Dean of the College of Cardinals formally asks whether the individual accepts the election as Supreme Pontiff. Upon acceptance, the new Pope reveals the name by which he wishes to be known. A document recording this acceptance is drafted by the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations with two witnesses. From this moment, the newly elected Pontiff assumes full and supreme authority over the universal Church, and the conclave is declared closed.

The electors then individually pledge their obedience and allegiance to the new Pope. Shortly thereafter, the Cardinal Proto-Deacon emerges onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to deliver the joyful announcement: "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; Habemus Papam." The new Pope then appears before the faithful to impart his first Apostolic Blessing Urbi et Orbi. Later, he will formally take possession of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome.