A new pope elected by influencial holy people of the Vatican.

When the Pope dies, a Conclave of Cardinals is held to choose his successor from amongst their number. The term "conclave" meaning "with key" refers to the fact that, to force them to make their minds up quickly (which they did not do in the past) the cardinals are locked into a limited area of the Vatican, including the Sistine chapel which they use as a debating and voting chamber, until they have made their choice. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_conclave

It is decided by the Vatican Conclave and voted only by those Cardinals who are allowed to vote. If there is a Cardinal In Pectore this cardinal will be taken into consideration if the name is reveled in due time. If there is no In Pectore candidate then the high possibilities I believe are for: 1. Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi Archbishop of Milan 2. Cardinal Ennio Antonelli of Florence Possibilities but they are foreigners: 1. Jorge Mario Bergoglio - Archbishop of Buenos Aires 2. Stanislaw Cardinal Dziwisz - Archbishop of Kraków Regards.

A Papal Conclave works like this: • A pope dies and is buried • The cardinals come to Rome for the conclave that will elect the new pope. The word conclave (Latin, cum • clavis, literally, "locked with the key") designates: . • The place in a locked section of the Vatican where the cardinals under the age of eighty elect a new pope. . • The actual gathering of the cardinals. • The conclave begins 15 to 20 days after the pope's death. • The cardinals pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit during a Mass • The cardinals, sealed in the Sistine Chapel, vote every morning and afternoon. • A two-thirds majority plus one is required for election for the first 30 ballots. After that, a simple majority is required. • After each vote, they burn the ballots and add special chemicals to make the smoke white or black. . • Black smoke means no new pope yet. . • White smoke announces the election of a new pope. • The cardinals may elect any baptized male they wish. There have been occasions in the past where they have elected a layman. After their election, the layman has to be ordained priest and bishop. • They ask the one elected if he accepts. The moment he accepts, he is pope. • The pope chooses his “Papal” name. • Then the new pope is announced to the world. For more information, see: http://www.americancatholic.org/features/johnpaulii/transition/PapalConclaveCU.asp http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/JohnPaulII/transition/CNS.asp With love in Christ.

This is decided at a meeting of all the Cardinals called a conclave. Those Cardinals below the age of 80 cast votes and the winner gets to decide whether he accepts the task. If he agrees they ask him for his new name and then they dress him in his robes and present him to the world. They are not pre-selected. In fact several white uniforms (cassocks) are made in various sizes because they do not know who is chosen until he is chosen.