Where do Cardinals Sleep While They Are Voting During the Conclave?

The papal conclave is one of the most secretive and fascinating events in all of Catholicism, and it's one that will be monitored closely by millions around the world. As speculation continues to ramp up about who the next pope might be, many are also wondering about some of the more basic, logistical questions around the conclave.

Conclaves usually take place over several days, and during that time, cardinals take a series of votes to determine who the next pope will be. They are supposed to be completely cloistered from the outside world so that nothing can influence their votes, which means that once they go in, they can't come out until a new pope is elected. Naturally, this has led some to wonder where the cardinals sleep. Here's what we know.

According to The Catholic Register (via Bloomberg), the cardinals sleep in the Domus Marthae Sanctae, a part of the Vatican that operates sort of like a hotel and features 131 bedrooms, a dining room, and sitting rooms. The building normally houses other guests, and most of the rooms have their own sitting room and a separate bathroom. Of course, it's not a five-star resort, but the cardinals have plenty of space to sleep and meet privately with one another.

The conclave is set to officially start on May 7, and 135 cardinals will be involved in the process this time around. The new pope must be elected by a two-thirds vote, and the actual vote totals are kept a secret until a new pope has been selected. The only signal that the outside world gets about the election of a new pope is a pillar of smoke that is black if there's still no pope, and white if one has been selected.

While some of the cardinals who are part of the conclave already work at the Vatican, many are stationed all over the world and are obligated to travel to Vatican City unless they are ill or otherwise unable to.

On the first day of the conclave, the cardinals assemble for a mass at St. Peter’s Basilica before proceeding to the Sistine Chapel, which is where they do the work of actually voting.

Cardinals are also sworn to a vow of secrecy as soon as they enter the proceedings, meaning that they must not discuss anything that happens during their votes.

The voting itself is carried out in morning and afternoon sessions, and the votes will continue until a single candidate has received two-thirds of the ballots.

On the first four days, as many as four votes can be held, with two each in the morning and afternoon. On the fifth day, all voting ceases so that the cardinals can pray and reflect. The voting will then proceed after no more than a day for another seven rounds. If the stalemate proceeds, then cardinals can choose to vote on the two leading candidates from the prior ballot. If that occurs, only an absolute majority is needed to win.