Papal conclave 2025

To help with coverage of the selection of a new pope to succeed Pope Francis, The Associated Press has compiled a style guide of essential words, phrases and definitions. Some are based on entries in the AP Stylebook: https://www.apstylebook.com/. Others were suggested by AP journalists in Rome and New York and based on decades of AP coverage of the Catholic Church and papal successions.

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archdiocese

Capitalize as part of a proper name: the Archdiocese of Chicago, the Chicago Archdiocese. Lowercase when it stands alone.

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bishops

Bishops are responsible for teaching the faithful and administering the church. The pope has final authority over their actions.

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Camerlengo

The camerlengo, or chamberlain, is in charge of administration and finances of the Holy See in the interregnum, the period between the death of a pope and the election of his successor. Before he died, Pope Francis asked 77-year-old Cardinal Kevin Farrell, an Irish-born American cardinal, to serve as his camerlengo.

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Catholic Church

The church teaches that its bishops have been established as the successors of the apostles through generations of ceremonies in which authority was passed down by a laying-on of hands. The church counts more than 1.2 billion members worldwide. Use Catholics and Catholicism for those who believe that the pope, as bishop of Rome, has the ultimate authority in administering an earthly organization founded by Jesus Christ.

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College of Cardinals

There are 252 cardinals worldwide. As a body, they are in charge of the Holy See's affairs between popes, with limits. Of them, 135 are "cardinal electors," those who are under age 80 and eligible to elect the new pope. For centuries, they have chosen one of their own. The vast majority of the electors — 108 — were made cardinals by Pope Francis, according to Vatican statistics.

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curia

The Holy See bureaucracy consisting of dicasteries, councils, pontifical academies, tribunals and other entities that help the pope lead the church.

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conclave

The secret meeting of the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel of St. Peter's Basilica to hold a papal election. The term comes from the Latin "with a key," referring to the custom of locking away the cardinals while they cast ballots. Cardinals are not allowed to communicate with the outside world for the duration of the conclave. Cardinals over 80 are barred from voting in a conclave to elect a new pope.

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Domus Santa Marta

This Vatican guesthouse, built in 1996, specifically houses cardinals during a conclave and is used at other times as a hotel for visiting priests and Vatican officials.

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extra omnes

A Latin phrase for "all out," it's spoken by the master for papal liturgical celebrations, currently Italian Archbishop Diego Ravelli, to ask all those present except the cardinal electors to leave the Sistine Chapel to begin the voting process during the conclave.

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fisherman's ring

Each pope gets a ring at the Mass marking the beginning of his pontificate. It bears this name because Jesus told St. Peter, the first pope, that he would be "a fisher of men." Until the 1990s, it was destroyed upon a pope's death. Now, it's "annulled," or marked in such a way that it can't be used as a seal.

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general congregations

These are the meetings of all members of the College of Cardinals after the pope's death and before the start of the conclave to discuss major church affairs. All cardinals who aren't infirm take part in this meeting. They also discuss preparations for the conclave, under oath and in secret.

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"Habemus Papam!"

The Latin phrase ("We have a pope!") shouted by the proto-deacon from the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square after the white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney signifies a decision. He then introduces the new pope — in Latin — along with the name the pope has chosen.

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Holy Father

The preferred form is the pope or pontiff. Use Holy Father in direct quotations.

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Holy See

The term used to describe the Vatican as sovereign state. It is the headquarters of the Catholic Church, in Vatican City.

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infirmarii

These are the three cardinals, chosen by a random drawing from the electors, who are charged with gathering the ballots of any electors who are ill during the conclave.

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interregnum

The period between the death of a pope, or end of his pontificate, and the election of his successor. The College of Cardinals has authority over the church during this time.

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Mass

It is celebrated, not said. Always capitalize when referring to the ceremony, but lowercase any preceding adjectives: high Mass, low Mass, requiem Mass.

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nuns

Capitalize Sister, or Mother if applicable, before a name: Sister Agnes Rita in all references if the nun uses only a religious name; Sister Mary Ann Walsh on first reference if she uses a surname. Walsh on subsequent references.

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papal infallibility

A pope invokes apostolic authority derived from the apostles of Jesus Christ to define doctrine or morals for the entire church. Only the sitting pope has this authority.

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pontiff

Though a synonym for pope, it is not a formal title and always lowercase.

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pope

Capitalize pope when used as a title before a name: Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Paul. Lowercase pope in all other uses. The pope is the bishop of Rome; the office was held by the Apostle Peter at his death.

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revisers

These are the three cardinals, chosen by random drawing from the electors, who are charged with reviewing the ballots during the conclave.

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rogito

This is the document, or "deed," listing key details of the pope's life and papacy that is placed in his coffin. It's written in Latin by the master for papal liturgical celebrations. A copy is kept in the Vatican archives.

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saint

Abbreviate as St. in the names of saints, cities and other places: St. Jude; St. Paul, Minnesota; St. John's, Newfoundland; St. Lawrence Seaway. (not Saint Jude or St Jude).

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scrutineers

These are the three cardinals, chosen by random drawing from the electors, who are charged with reviewing each ballot and announcing it to the assembled conclave after each round of voting. They then tally the votes — to win the election, two-thirds of the votes are necessary — and they also burn the ballots.

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sede vacante

Latin phrase for empty seat. It describes the period of time when the church has no pope, either because of death or abdication, and the election of the next pontiff.

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Universi Dominici Gregis

This Latin phrase means "the Lord's whole flock." It's the Vatican constitution that regulates the processes from a pope's death until a new one is elected. St. John Paul II issued it in 1996 during his papacy, and Pope Benedict XVI twice amended it, most significantly by removing John Paul's provision that after about 12 days of balloting a simple majority could elect a new pope rather than a two-thirds majority. If the conclave lasts that long, the top two vote-getters go to a runoff, with a two-thirds majority required to win. Neither of the top two candidates casts a ballot in the runoff.

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Vatican City

Stands alone in datelines.

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White smoke/black smoke

After each session of two ballots in the Sistine Chapel, the ballots are burned in a special furnace to indicate the outcome to the outside world. If no pope is chosen, the ballots are mixed with cartridges containing potassium perchlorate, anthracene (a component of coal tar), and sulfur to produce black smoke. But if there is a winner, the burning ballots are mixed with potassium chlorate, lactose and chloroform resin to produce the white smoke. Bells also are rung to further signal there is a new pope.