No Phones, No Contact: Vatican Prepares to Elect Pope

As the Catholic Church prepares to elect the next pope, the Vatican has implemented a complete mobile signal blackout starting Wednesday afternoon. All mobile phone signals around Vatican City will be disabled ahead of the secret conclave to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the papal election process. According to Italian media cited by CNN, the move is part of sweeping measures to prevent external communication and electronic surveillance.

The conclave, a centuries-old tradition, will take place in the Sistine Chapel where 133 cardinals from across the world will gather in strict isolation to vote for Pope Francis’ successor. Phone signals are scheduled to be disabled at 3 p.m. local time—90 minutes before the cardinals are expected to enter the chapel.

To further secure the proceedings, the Vatican is deploying signal jammers around the Sistine Chapel. These jammers are designed to block any attempts at phone calls, text messaging, or internet access from within the conclave area. Security across St. Peter’s Square has also been significantly increased. According to Italian news reports, checkpoints, metal detectors, and anti-drone systems have been installed to safeguard the conclave and prevent any possible disruptions.

A Vatican spokesperson announced that all 133 voting cardinals have arrived in Rome. As part of the conclave’s protocols, cardinals will surrender their phones and all electronic devices starting Tuesday. They will not regain access to them until the election is concluded. This protocol ensures that the cardinals remain entirely cut off from the outside world during the selection of the new pontiff.

The word “conclave” itself originates from the Latin phrase cum clave, meaning “with key”—symbolizing the seclusion and locked doors that define the process. The cardinals will take an oath of “absolute and perpetual secrecy,” a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. During this time, they will eat, sleep, and vote in strict seclusion inside the Vatican, without contact with family or the outside world.

The Sistine Chapel will be completely closed off during the conclave. Vatican authorities have confirmed that only essential support staff such as electricians, elevator operators, and maintenance workers will be allowed inside Vatican City during the conclave—and even they must swear an oath of secrecy. These staff members will remain on-site throughout the conclave, staying overnight without contact with their families, in service of the process.

These measures reflect similar precautions taken in 2013, when Pope Francis was elected. Then, too, signal blockers were used, and all electronic communications were halted to prevent information leaks.

The conclave follows the recent passing of Pope Francis, who died on April 21. His funeral was held on April 26 at St. Peter’s Square. The bells of St. Peter’s Basilica rang out at the end of a solemn 2-hour and 10-minute service attended by thousands. As the white popemobile transported his coffin through the streets of Rome, crowds lined the roads in silent tribute.

Pope Francis was laid to rest at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the oldest churches in Rome. This sacred site held deep personal significance for the pope, who frequently visited it during his 12-year papacy. Bells rang once more as the pontiff’s body arrived, marking his final journey and closing a historic chapter for the Roman Catholic Church.

Now, all eyes turn to the Sistine Chapel, where the College of Cardinals will deliberate in total secrecy to choose the 267th pope. Until the white smoke rises from the chapel chimney, signaling a successful election, the world must wait in silence.