The Vatican is about to host the ultimate season finale of Pope Idol.
Mark your calendars, light a few candles, and maybe even place a respectful bet with your friends (kidding, kind of) because the sacred conclave to pick the next Pope will officially kick off on May 7 inside the iconic Sistine Chapel — aka the holiest room that also has killer ceiling art.
More than 130 cardinals — think of them as the world’s most serious casting directors — are gearing up to choose the next leader of the Catholic Church. And no, they don’t get a rose at the end. They get a white smoke moment, which is like the Vatican’s version of “We have a winner!”
In true secret-society fashion, the whole process happens in total silence. No cell phones. No TikToks. No dramatic theme music (although honestly, it would slap). They vote anonymously, round after suspenseful round, until someone finally hits that two-thirds majority. It’s basically the most intense group project of all time, but with slightly fancier hats.
Originally, the show could’ve started as early as May 5, but the cardinals were like, “You know what? Let’s take a couple extra days to chill and chat with our over-80 crowd.” These elder statesmen of the Church are allowed to give pep talks but, once voting starts, they are politely kicked out of the Sistine Chapel — probably to go enjoy some holy espresso and complain about “kids these days.”
Next up, the cardinals are meeting for a lil’ pregame sesh on Tuesday, April 29. Think of it like the final strategy meeting before an epic fantasy draft, except everyone’s wearing robes and the stakes are way higher.
Oh, and in case you missed it: this whole sacred shuffle is happening because Pope Francis passed away on April 21. (Rest in peace to a true legend.)
So grab your popcorn (or maybe your rosary beads), because history’s about to be made — and you do notf want to miss it.