The Vatican has installed a stove and chimney in the Sistine Chapel where ballots will be burned during the conclave to elect a new pope.
The move comes as preparations ramp up following the death of Pope Francis on 21 April at age 88.
On Friday, members of the Vatican’s fire brigade were seen placing the chimney on the roof of the chapel. The chimney will signal to millions when a new pope has been chosen by releasing either black or white smoke.
A video shared by the Holy See on Saturday showed the setup inside the chapel, including a stove and a false floor to level the space.
A total of 133 cardinals will begin the conclave on 7 May. They must agree on a candidate by a two-thirds vote, at least 89 votes, for the new pope to be chosen.
If a vote fails, black smoke will rise from the chimney. The smoke is created using burned ballots mixed with potassium perchlorate, anthracene, and sulfur.
Once a pope is elected, white smoke will appear, created from ballots mixed with potassium chlorate, lactose, and chloroform resin.
Despite posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed in papal attire on Saturday, Donald Trump will not be a candidate in the election.
Footage also showed workers placing wooden tables for the cardinals and installing a ramp for those using wheelchairs.
To ensure privacy during the voting, the Vatican will impose a total tech blackout. All communication devices will be disabled to prevent leaks or surveillance.
Engineer Silvio Screpanti, who is overseeing the work, said all sensors installed in recent years to protect the chapel’s artwork are being turned off.
In the coming days, all windows in the Apostolic Palace facing the chapel will be blacked out. Mr. Screpanti added that 80 security seals will be placed around the cardinals’ residence area before the vote.
On the morning of 7 May, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, will lead a special Mass at St Peter’s Basilica.
Later, the cardinals will process into the Sistine Chapel, listen to a reflection, and take an oath before casting the first vote.
If no decision is made in the first round, cardinals will return the next day for more votes—two in the morning and two in the afternoon—until a winner is declared.
Pope Francis was elected in 2013 after white smoke appeared following the fifth round of voting on 13 March.
