John Yang:
And so Pope Gregory X, who emerged from that prolonged conclave, established strict rules in hopes of avoiding a repeat. The process continued to evolve. The modern framework is spelled out in the Apostolic Constitution Pope John Paul II issued in 1996.
Conclaves must start within 15 to 20 days after a pope’s death or, rarely, resignation. They’re usually overseen by the dean of the College of Cardinals, a senior cardinal elected by cardinal bishops, the highest order of cardinals, and confirmed by the pope. In this conclave, only 135 of the 252 cardinals are permitted to participate, what are called cardinal electors.
That’s because only those younger than 80 can vote, a limit set in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.
