It can be very fast today—usually 2–3 days once cardinals start voting—but in history it has ranged from a few hours to almost three years.

Quick Scoop: How Long Does It Take?

  • There is no fixed time limit in Church law for choosing a new pope.
  • Modern conclaves (last 100+ years) typically last between 1 and 5 days , averaging around 3 days.
  • The last three popes were all elected within 2–3 days of voting starting.
  • Historically, the shortest conclave took about 10 hours (Pope Pius III in 1503).
  • The longest conclave in the 13th century dragged on for about 1,000 days (nearly three years) before electing Pope Gregory X.

So if you’re wondering “how long does it take to pick a new pope” in today’s terms, the realistic expectation is a few days once the conclave begins , even though canonically it could take much longer if the cardinals are deeply divided.

What Has to Happen Before Voting?

From the moment a pope dies or resigns to the moment a new pope steps out on the balcony, there are several steps.

  1. Papal vacancy:
    The process starts with the death or resignation of the pope, after which the governance of the Church passes temporarily to the College of Cardinals.
  1. Gathering the cardinals (about 15–20 days):
    • Cardinals from around the world travel to Rome.
    • Traditionally, they aim to gather within roughly 15–20 days after the papal seat becomes vacant.
  1. Pre-conclave meetings (general congregations):
    • Cardinals meet to discuss the state and needs of the Church.
    • These meetings help them understand what kind of leader is needed next.
  1. Mass and entry to the conclave:
    • They celebrate a special Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica asking for guidance.
    • Then they process to the Sistine Chapel, swear an oath of absolute secrecy, and the doors are symbolically locked.

So from vacancy to the actual start of voting, you’re looking at roughly two to three weeks , then usually a few days of ballots.

How Voting Works (And Why It Takes A Few Days)

Once in the Sistine Chapel, the cardinals follow a highly structured routine.

  • Who votes?
    Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote.
  • How often do they vote?
    • Up to four ballots per day in modern practice (two in the morning, two in the afternoon).
* After some days without success, they pause for a day of prayer and discussion to break deadlock.
  • What majority is needed?
    A candidate needs two-thirds of the votes plus one to be elected.
  • The famous smoke signals:
    • If no one is elected, ballots are burned with chemicals to produce black smoke : conclave continues.
* When a pope is chosen and accepts, ballots are burned to produce **white smoke** , signaling “Habemus Papam” (we have a pope).

This rhythm of multiple ballots per day is why, in modern times, a consensus usually forms within a couple of days rather than weeks or months.

Modern Reality vs. Historical Drama

To put “how long does it take to pick a new pope” in perspective, here’s how recent conclaves compare with the wild swings of history.

Recent conclaves (last three popes)

  • 2013 – Pope Francis:
    • Elected on the fifth ballot over 2 days.
    • Widely seen as a relatively quick consensus.
  • 2005 – Pope Benedict XVI:
    • Elected on the fourth ballot , making it one of the shortest conclaves of the last century.
  • 1978 – Pope John Paul II:
    • Elected over two days , after eight ballots.

Extreme cases in history

  • Shortest on record:
    • Around 10 hours for Pope Pius III in 1503—essentially a “same day” conclave.
  • Longest on record:
    • About 1,006 days (nearly three years) in Viterbo after Pope Clement IV’s death in the 13th century.
* Locals reportedly locked the cardinals in and even restricted their comfort and food to force a decision, which helped inspire the idea of a conclave “under lock and key.”

In other words, historically the process has been everything from a sprint to a marathon—but modern rules, modern travel, and a relatively small, well- known group of candidates keep it to a short, intense few days.

Today’s Big Picture (And “Latest News” Angle)

Because conclaves are secret by design, much of the forum discussion and “trending topic” talk centers on how fast cardinals might coalesce around a particular profile—more conservative, more reformist, from Europe vs. the Global South, and so on.

Commentators often guess that a relatively united College of Cardinals will settle on a name in 2–3 days , whereas visible ideological divides could stretch the vote closer to 4–5 days , though still very unlikely to touch the dramatic timelines of medieval conclaves.

You’ll see a lot of speculation like:

“If they’re still sending up black smoke after day three, you know the negotiations are getting serious.”

But until the white smoke rises and the new pope appears on the balcony, the only thing everyone really knows is this: it takes exactly as long as it takes for two-thirds of the cardinals to agree on one man—and in our era, that’s almost always just a few days.

TL;DR:
From vacancy to first vote: about 15–20 days to get everyone to Rome and prepare.

From first vote to new pope in modern times: usually 2–3 days , rarely more than 5.

Historically: anywhere from hours to almost three years.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.