Just four days to start the Conclave 2025, the authorities in the Vatican City They prepare two buildings to be able to receive at 133 Cardinals which will participate on Wednesday, May 7 at the Cardinal College Meeting of the Catholic Church, convened to choose a new pontiff after the death of Francisco.
The Santa Marta house and the Ethiopian Collegetwo buildings known for being the residences of the cardinals during the conclaves, will be completely armored in order to guarantee the isolation of the participants, as well as the Sistine chapelwhere allegedly the electronic network of its entire interior will also go out.
According to the deputy director of the Infrastructure Section of the Holy See, Silvio Screpantithe preparations for the 2025 conclave are divided between the two accommodations of the cardinals and the Sistine Chapel, where the participants will have the opportunity to vote for the next high pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.
Screpanti indicated that the conclave that will choose the successor of Pope Francis, deceased last Monday, April 21, It will begin to noon next Wednesday, May 7, when the 133 cardinals around the world are already installed in the city of the Vatican, where they will remain isolated from the outside world to choose the new Pontiff.
Rigorous measures in the conclave
Silvio Screpanti added that preparations for the conclave are currently carried out “without any pause”, with the participation of more than forty professions, including carpenters, blacksmiths, decorators, cleaning staff, administrative assistants, counters and dozens of reinforcement workers recruited by external companies.
There will be 200 rooms For the cardinals, distributed between the Santa Marta Casa and the Ethiopian College, and according to the deputy director of the Infrastructure Section, “in both buildings, compartments that guarantee the isolation of the voters of the conclave have been created, with partitionsprovisional doors and the Temporary closure of windows “.
“The day before the conclave starts, the staff will impose More than 80 lead closures In all the access of the perimeter of the sector, ”said Screpanti, who also indicated that all cardinals called to vote will not be able to maintain contact with people from the outside world or hide recording instruments of any kind.
The technicians hired by the Vatican have activated new technological devices in the Sistine Chapel and in its surroundings, including 600 sensors and cameras with different algorithmsto protect her from tourists. In addition, as tradition sends, church officials must cover all windows of the Apostolic Palace.
“Nothing should be known about what happens inside this historic place under the severity of the final judgment he painted Miguel Ángeland that is why the entire technological system has been controlled, ”added Screpanti, who said that the authorities will strive to keep the accesses completely armored to the area where the ceremony will be held.
It is worth mentioning that, although the cardinals will be isolated in the Sistine Chapel during their Voting12 technicians will remain at all times available to guarantee the operation of the electrical system. These electricians must take an oath of discretion, since they could find out reserved information.
They will not give rise to the intrusion: the Vatican displays a strong security device to shield the conclave; NATO patrols and helicopters fly over the place; Likewise, signal inhibitors were installed to avoid espionage. All information with @lopezdoriga pic.twitter.com/pusbuhz8jw
– Formula Group (@radio_formula) May 1, 2025