Vatican City, May 6 (ANI): In preparation for the highly secretive Papal conclave to elect the next Pope, the Vatican will deactivate all mobile phone signals on Wednesday, according to CNN, citing Italian state media.
Signal jammers will be deployed around the Sistine Chapel, where 133 cardinals will gather to vote for the successor to Pope Francis, to prevent any form of electronic surveillance or external communication. This signal shutdown will commence at 3 PM local time, an hour and a half before the cardinals are scheduled to proceed to the chapel, as reported by Italian state broadcaster RAI.
All participating cardinals, who have already arrived in Rome, will surrender their phones and electronic devices on Tuesday and will not regain access to them until the conclave concludes. The Vatican has reinforced its commitment to maintaining the strict secrecy of the conclave—an ancient tradition rooted in the Middle Ages and reflected in the term “conclave,” derived from the Latin “cum clave,” meaning “with key.”
From Wednesday, the cardinals will enter total isolation inside the Sistine Chapel, bound by a vow of absolute and perpetual secrecy. The phone signal deactivation, however, will not affect St. Peter’s Square, where the faithful often gather during such historic events.
Security across Vatican City has been heightened, with checkpoints, metal detectors, and anti-drone systems installed throughout St. Peter’s Square, according to Corriere della Sera.
The Vatican’s history of ensuring total lockdown during conclaves includes installing signal blockers in 2013, the year Pope Francis was elected. Additionally, support staff such as electricians, plumbers, and elevator operators—who will remain inside Vatican grounds during the conclave—are also required to take an oath of secrecy and will reside there full-time, avoiding contact with their families.
The conclave follows the passing of Pope Francis on April 21. His funeral mass was held on April 26 at St. Peter’s Square, concluding with the tolling of bells after a two-hour and ten-minute service. The late pontiff’s coffin was later carried across the River Tiber to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, a place he often visited during his 12-year papacy, where he was laid to rest.
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