As the 2025 papal conclave begins Wednesday, the Vatican has fortified the Sistine Chapel with advanced security measures designed to safeguard the sacred process of selecting a new pope in an era dominated by digital surveillance and information leaks.
A total of 133 cardinal electors under the age of 80 will assemble beneath Michelangelo’s iconic frescoes to choose the successor to Pope Francis, who passed away last month. In a public commitment to preserving the integrity and secrecy of the conclave, Vatican authorities have deployed an array of cutting-edge technologies to ensure the process remains impenetrable to outside interference.
Among the most notable measures is the installation of an elevated temporary floor within the Sistine Chapel—believed to conceal signal-jamming technology—as well as the use of signal-blocking tiles engineered to prevent electronic surveillance. Blurring screens have been applied to chapel windows to thwart drone-based observation, and all cell phone towers within Vatican City will be shut down starting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday to eliminate the risk of unauthorized communications.
A Catholic bishop walks in a back street near the Vatican on the first day of the conclave to elect the next pope, in Rome, Italy, May 7, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs
“A protective envelope will be created around the cardinals at all times,” said a source familiar with the security procedures. “If they decide to walk in the gardens or take a smoke outside, no one will be able to get close to them.”
The cardinal electors will reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae (Santa Marta House), which has undergone intensive security upgrades. The building has been swept for listening devices, Wi-Fi signals have been significantly weakened, and access between the chapel and the residence is tightly monitored. Surveillance technologies, including drone-detection systems, have been deployed across the property to guard against intrusion.
In addition to technological safeguards, stringent confidentiality protocols have been enforced. All support staff—including cooks, cleaners, drivers, and priests—have taken oaths of perpetual secrecy, with any breach punishable by automatic excommunication, according to Reuters.
During the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, Vatican officials employed a Faraday cage to block electromagnetic signals. The latest preparations build upon that precedent, embracing even more robust measures suited to today’s sophisticated digital threats.
These intelligence-grade protocols underscore the Church’s evolving understanding of modern vulnerabilities while upholding the centuries-old traditions of the conclave. With cardinals from more than 70 countries participating, the global Catholic community awaits the symbolic white smoke—an enduring signal that the Church has chosen its next spiritual leader.
