The conclave kicks off today, May 7, 2025, and 133 cardinals have been locked in the Sistine Chapel to begin the process of electing a new pope.
The conclave will last until a person is elected, meaning they have received at least 89 of the 133 votes.
While the longest conclaves have lasted months, or even years, the last time a conclave lasted longer than four days was the election of Pope Pius XI more than a century ago.
As Mark Twain is alleged to have said, "history doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes." Here's a look at how the voting process went the last five times the cardinals gathered.
1June 1963 conclave
Began: June 19, 1963
Ended: June 21, 1963
Number of ballots: Six
Elected: Cardinal Giovanni Montini, who took the name Pope Paul VI
2August 1978 conclave
Began: August 25, 1978
Ended: August 26, 1978
Number of ballots: Four
Elected: Cardinal Albino Luciani, who took the name Pope John Paul I
3October 1978 conclave
Began: October 14, 1978
Ended: October 16, 1978
Number of ballots: eight
Elected: Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who took the name Pope John Paul II
4April 2005 conclave
Began: April 18, 2005
Ended: April 19, 2005
Number of ballots: Four
Elected: Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who took the name Pope Benedict XVI
5March 2013 conclave
Began: March 12, 2013
Ended: March 13, 2013
Number of ballots: Five
Elected: Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, who took the name Pope Francis
