Following the death of Pope Francis, the Catholic Church has chosen a date to elect its new leader, in a process virtually unchanged in 800 years.The system is known as the ‘Papal Conclave,’ and is a democratic process with a strong emphasis on working through multiple rounds of voting until a clear consensus emerges.

The world won’t know the next leader of the world’s Catholics until he appears before a throng of supporters in St. Peter’s Square. But in the coming days, powerful members of the Catholic Church from around the world will take part in a process that is part spiritual and part pragmatic.