<p data-async="">At 88 years of age, Pope Francis I was the second-oldest Pope to hold the title in the last 600 years. <a data-evt-val="{&quot;control_fields&quot;: {&quot;mparticle&quot;: {&quot;keys&quot;: {&quot;click_source_type&quot;: &quot;click_source_type&quot;, &quot;anchor_text&quot;: &quot;anchor_text&quot;, &quot;target_url&quot;: &quot;target_url&quot;, &quot;layout_section&quot;: &quot;layout_section&quot;}, &quot;mp_event_type&quot;: &quot;Navigation&quot;, &quot;extra_keys&quot;: [&quot;click_vertical_position_percentage&quot;, &quot;click_vertical_position_pixels&quot;]}}, &quot;click_source_type&quot;: &quot;in-page link&quot;, &quot;anchor_text&quot;: &quot;Only Leo XIII&quot;, &quot;target_url&quot;: &quot;https://www.ecatholic2000.com/list-of-popes/#:~:text=In%20the%20history%20of%20the,17%20Benedictines&quot;, &quot;layout_section&quot;: &quot;in-page-link&quot;}" href="https://www.ecatholic2000.com/list-of-popes/#:~:text=In%20the%20history%20of%20the,17%20Benedictines" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-evt="click" data-evt-typ="click" target="_blank">Only Leo XIII</a>, who died aged 93 in 1903, outlived him. His death triggers the election of the 267th Pope, a <a data-evt-val="{&quot;control_fields&quot;: {&quot;mparticle&quot;: {&quot;keys&quot;: {&quot;click_source_type&quot;: &quot;click_source_type&quot;, &quot;anchor_text&quot;: &quot;anchor_text&quot;, &quot;target_url&quot;: &quot;target_url&quot;, &quot;layout_section&quot;: &quot;layout_section&quot;}, &quot;mp_event_type&quot;: &quot;Navigation&quot;, &quot;extra_keys&quot;: [&quot;click_vertical_position_percentage&quot;, &quot;click_vertical_position_pixels&quot;]}}, &quot;click_source_type&quot;: &quot;in-page link&quot;, &quot;anchor_text&quot;: &quot;process known as a conclave&quot;, &quot;target_url&quot;: &quot;https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2013/03/world/pope-conclave/&quot;, &quot;layout_section&quot;: &quot;in-page-link&quot;}" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-evt="click" data-evt-typ="click" href="https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2013/03/world/pope-conclave/" target="_blank">process known as a conclave</a>.</p>

When a Pope dies, cardinal-electors head to Rome to cast secret ballots for a new Pope, whose victory is signalled with white smoke.{ai:summary}<p>Pope Francis I, at 88, was the second-oldest Pope in 600 years, surpassed only by Leo XIII, who died at 93. His passing initiates the conclave to elect the 267th Pope. #religion</p>

What is the process for choosing a new Pope?

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