Coverage of the 2025 Papal Conclave by Paul Gleiser
A fitting space for electing a new pope.
The process of electing a new pope takes place in a building that is rather plain on the outside, but is absolutely spectacular on the inside.
The Sistine Chapel, which sits immediately adjacent to St. Peter’s Basilica, is home to two of the most famous works of art by one of history’s most famous artists.
Michelangelo’s famous ceiling fresco serves as a canopy under which the 133 cardinal electors for this conclave sit. On the wall behind the altar, they are looked upon by a clean-shaven, muscular Jesus Christ in Michelangelo’s fresco known as “The Last Judgement of Christ.”
Published May 7, 2025 · Updated May 7, 2025