Inside Sistine Chapel: 5 Key Facts About the Conclave's Iconic Venue

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Following Pope Francis' passing on April 22, 2025, a conclave ritual will be held. The ritual is to find a capable figure to replace Pope Francis as the Bishop of Rome and lead the worldwide Catholic community. The conclave has been scheduled to take place in private on May 7, 2025, at the Sistine Chapel.

The Sistine Chapel is located within the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in the Vatican. Here are 5 interesting facts about the Sistine Chapel, as reported by Graylinerome, Througheternity, Thesistinechapel, and Britannica, namely:

1. The Building's Name Derived from Pope Sixtus IV

Pope Sixtus IV was the figure who built and inaugurated the Sistine Chapel exactly two years after his papacy began in 1473, and was completed as his three-year papacy was ending due to his passing in 1481.

Despite being known as a controversial figure due to various records of nepotism and reflections of corruption in the Renaissance era, he supported the development of art and education, including the expansion of the Vatican Library. In the field of art, Pope Sixtus IV commanded several Renaissance artists, such as Perugino, Botticelli, Pinturicchio, etc., to paint in the Sistine Chapel. They painted frescoes about the Scenes from the life of Moses and the Life of Christ.

2. Paintings on the Chapel's Ceiling

The interesting part of this building is the interior ceiling filled with fresco paintings. One renowned fresco is the painting The Last Judgment by Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, a renowned Italian artist from the Renaissance era.

This painting was the work of Pope Julius II and was completed between 1535 and 1541. Standing at the altar of the Sistine Chapel, the painting depicting the theme of judgment day appeared as a sign to the cardinals to act justly and avoid all despicable acts during the Conclave process.

In addition to The Last Judgment, another famous fresco from Michelangelo's hand is The Creation of Adam. This relatively complex painting was finished in only 16 days around 1511.

The Sistine Chapel within the Apostolic Palace is a room for appointing the Pope. Photo: @tejard

3. The Venue for the Conclave Ritual

In 1492, this building became the first to host the Conclave. Then, in 1878, the Conclave was permanently held in the Sistine Chapel. The Conclave takes place when the Pope resigns or passes away.

The last one took place in 2013 and lasted 27 hours. Relatively quick compared to a Conclave that once lasted for 33 months, from 1268-1271.

Once a Pope is elected, white smoke will rise from the Sistine Chapel chimney, and the phrase Habemus Papam will be heard from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. Conversely, if there are no votes that reach two-thirds of the votes over other candidates, then black smoke will emerge from the square-shaped stone building's chimney. The smoke indicates that there is no decision from the Conclave.

4. It Is Prohibited to Take Pictures

A challenge during the visit to the Sistine Chapel is resisting the urge to capture the magnificent paintings in front of you by taking photos or recording videos. This action is not tolerated. The reason for this is related to copyright laws that visitors must abide by.

Nevertheless, one or two visitors still manage to sneakily capture moments in the gallery against the guards' regulations. On the other hand, visitors are advised to solemnly appreciate the masterpieces from the maestro's hands and carefully listen to the tour guide's explanation of the building.

5. Replication of the Sistine Chapel

Gary Bevans, a parishioner who works as a sign writer, was inspired to replicate the paintings in the Sistine Chapel after going on a parish pilgrimage to Rome in 1987. Gary's request was approved after discussing it with Bishop Cormac.

The man, who taught himself to paint, recreated it on the ceiling of the English Martyrs Catholic Church, with a 2/3 scale compared to the original size. Nevertheless, he still maintained the colors of the paintings according to the Sistine Chapel's ceiling. During a Thanksgiving Mass, the Bishop awarded Gary Bevans the Pontifical Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice.

Muhammad Rifan Prianto contributed to this article

Editor's Choice: Sistine Chapel Prepares for the Election of New Pope

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News

The Pope's Role in Major Events of the Modern Era

4 jam lalu

Sistine Chapel Prepares for the Election of New Pope

4 jam lalu

Pope Francis' Popemobile Transformed into Mobile Clinic for Gaza Children

5 jam lalu

Indonesia's Cardinal Suharyo Arrives in Vatican for Papal Conclave

11 jam lalu

Trump's AI-Generated Pope Image Draws Criticism as Papal Election Nears

19 jam lalu

Convicted Cardinal Angelo Becciu Withdraws from Papal Conclave

4 hari lalu

Franz Magnis-Suseno Recalls Pope Francis' Inclusive Stance on LGBTQ

5 hari lalu

Pope Francis' Legacy: Decentralizing the Conclave Beyond Europe

5 hari lalu

The Search for the Next Pope: What Cardinals Are Looking For

5 hari lalu

The Lifelong Good Example of Pope Francis

6 hari lalu