# Catholicism, who decides who becomes Pope? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2006, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751 "2006-11-16T23:19:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/1 "2006-11-16T23:19:16Z")
Which Governing body within this religion decides who becomes the next Pope? How does it work? Surely they don’t draw straws… ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/2 "2006-11-16T23:20:14Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] Which Governing body within this religion decides who becomes the next Pope? How does it work? Surely they don’t draw straws… [/QUOTE] It was in the news quite a bit last year. The College of Cardinals meets and elects a new Pope, with every cardinal under the age of 80 entitled to vote. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/3 "2006-11-16T23:21:57Z")
Yeah, I briefly remember, but didn’t pay attention too much. ---
**Author:** ![voodoonirvana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f17d59/32.png) [@voodoonirvana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voodoonirvana)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/4 "2006-11-16T23:23:01Z")
I recently joined but have been lurking for quite a while. diggleblop, when are you going to stop using SD as if it were a search engine? ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/5 "2006-11-16T23:27:41Z")
**Voodoonirvana** , welcome to the SDMB. I think you’ll get along here just fine. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/6 "2006-11-16T23:30:33Z")
[QUOTE=voodoonirvana] I recently joined but have been lurking for quite a while. diggleblop, when are you going to stop using SD as if it were a search engine? [/QUOTE] As soon as you pay for my membership. Then I’ll give you a serious response. ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/7 "2006-11-16T23:37:26Z")
[QUOTE=FatBaldGuy] **Voodoonirvana** , welcome to the SDMB. I think you’ll get along here just fine. [/QUOTE] Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/8 "2006-11-16T23:39:16Z")
diggleblop, when are you going to stop using SD as if it were a search engine? ---
**Author:** ![voodoonirvana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f17d59/32.png) [@voodoonirvana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voodoonirvana)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/9 "2006-11-16T23:40:05Z")
Thanks guys. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/10 "2006-11-16T23:41:24Z")
[QUOTE=Random] Seconded. [/QUOTE] Thirded. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/11 "2006-11-16T23:42:38Z")
[QUOTE=Terminus Est] diggleblop, when are you going to stop using SD as if it were a search engine? [/QUOTE] same goes for you. send me 14.95 and I’ll tell you. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/12 "2006-11-16T23:44:07Z")
Also, aren’t you guys breaking the rules by not giving me a factual answer? When are you guys going to stop chastising paying members? Because I’m not using it as a search engine, I’m using it to educate myself, that’s what it’s here for. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/13 "2006-11-16T23:44:28Z")
Ah, misread diggle’s response. I thought he said “As soon as you pay for membership,” and thought the question would have more authority if it came from a bona-fide Charter Member. (Not that charter membership means much in the first place.) Oh well. And welcome **voodoonirvana**. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/14 "2006-11-16T23:45:36Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] same goes for you. send me 14.95 and I’ll tell you. [/QUOTE] Where do I send the check? ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/15 "2006-11-16T23:46:09Z")
email me, it’s in my profile. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/16 "2006-11-16T23:47:09Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] Yeah, I briefly remember, but didn’t pay attention too much. [/QUOTE] Dude, I am in awe. That must have taken some serious effort, along the lines of deliberately avoiding watching/listening to/reading any report on the matter in every form of newsmedia for a month. And in most Western media markets, tuning out almost completely for the whole week starting with Wojtyla’s funeral. The answer, what Bricker said. Do a search for “election pope cardinals” and look for the threads dated around April 2005. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/17 "2006-11-16T23:49:47Z")
Why the age restriction? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/18 "2006-11-16T23:54:08Z")
Hmmm… …nah, not worth it. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/19 "2006-11-16T23:54:20Z")
**TWEEEEEEET!** OK, everyone, let’s not turn a simple **GQ** thread into something better suited to the **Pit** (regardless how irritating one finds another’s behavior). **[/Moderating]** Regarding the OP’s question: Check out the Catholic Encyclopedia (early 20th century edition) articles on the [Conclave](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04192a.htm), [Papal Elections](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11456a.htm), and [Election of the Popes](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12270a.htm) with the updated instructions from Pope Paul II in [_Universi Dominici Gregis_](http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_jp02ud.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751/20 "2006-11-17T00:07:24Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] Also, aren’t you guys breaking the rules by not giving me a factual answer? [/QUOTE] If I recall correctly, there was a semi-recent sticky here that said in effect “Joking answers are allowed if the question has already been answered or if it’s about to fall off the first page.” Feel free to correct me, **tom**. Your question was answered in the first reply. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholicism-who-decides-who-becomes-pope/380751.md?page=2)