Papal conclaves

Consecration

Since the imposition of the age-restrictions on Cardinals aged 80 and older by Pope Paul VI in 1970, the Dean of the College of Cardinals has participated in a conclave only once, and has never confirmed the election of an elected Pope. Jean Marie Villot presided the August 1978 and October 1978 papal conclaves on behalf of then-Dean Carlo Confalonieri, and confirmed the elections of Albino Luciani and Karol Wojtyla, respectively. In 2005, because Joseph Ratzinger, the dean, was elected Pope, the duties of confirming the election fell into the hands of the vice-dean, Angelo Sodano. In 2013, Giovanni Battista Re was the senior cardinal bishop (who later became dean himself in 2020) who confirmed the election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio. In 2025, the presiding cardinal over the conclave was Pietro Parolin, who confirmed the election of Robert Francis Prevost.