A papal conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church to elect a new pope. This event occurs when the papacy becomes vacant, either due to the death or resignation of the current pope, such as Pope Benedict XVI in 2013. The conclave takes place in the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals are sequestered until a new pope is chosen. During the conclave, the cardinals vote in secret, and a two-thirds majority is required to elect a new pope. Once a candidate is selected, white smoke is released from the chapel's chimney to signal the election to the public, while black smoke indicates that no decision has been made.