What it takes to become pope: Key qualifications and qualities

Following the death of Pope Francis on 21 April at the age of 88, the Catholic Church has entered a period of sede vacante — Latin for "the seat being vacant" — during which the Holy See has temporarily removed the papal coat of arms and replaced it with the sede vacante seal.

With the upcoming papal conclave set for 7 May, the Holy See has released the minimum qualifications for the next pope through an official post on its LinkedIn account, responding to what it described as “several messages of interest” in the role.

Roughly 135 cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to participate in the conclave. They will gather inside the Sistine Chapel, completely secluded from the outside world, to vote until a new pope is chosen. A two-thirds majority is required. White smoke rising from the chapel’s chimney signals a successful election, while black smoke indicates an inconclusive vote.

Canonical requirements

The post lists the essential qualifications a candidate must meet under Church law:

• Must be a baptized Catholic

• Male

• Of sound mind

• Eligible for episcopal ordination

• Not canonically impeded or excommunicated

Traditional expectations

Beyond the basic canonical criteria, there are traditional qualities that the College of Cardinals usually seeks:

• Already a cardinal

• Mature in age

• Well-versed in theology

• Known for holiness and moral integrity

• Strong devotion to the Eucharist and the Virgin Mary

Practical attributes for modern leadership

In today’s global Church, the Holy See also outlined real-world skills and characteristics that would aid a modern pontiff:

• Wisdom and prudence

• Conflict resolution ability

• Cultural sensitivity and diplomatic skills

• High emotional resilience and physical endurance

• Capacity to work long hours with minimal breaks

• Multilingual skills, especially in Latin and Italian

• Public speaking and communication skills, with a good singing voice as a plus

• A clear vision for the future of the Catholic Church

• Strong preference for serving the poor and vulnerable

• An eye for identifying and appointing the right people to key roles

While any baptized Catholic male could technically be elected pope, in practice, the conclave has traditionally selected one of their own — someone already serving as a cardinal and deeply embedded in Church leadership.

As the Church prepares for this historic transition, all eyes will turn to the Sistine Chapel next week, awaiting the telltale sign of white smoke and the name of the next spiritual leader of 1.3 billion Catholics around the world.