Conclave to Elect Pope Francis' Successor Will Begin May 7, with Cardinals Converging to Select New Pontiff

Yahoo

28-04-2025

The conclave to select a new pope will begin May 7, per the Vatican
"The conclave will take place in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, which will remain closed to visitors during those days," the church confirmed
The news comes just over two weeks after the death of Pope Francis at age 88, on April 21
The conclave, held to select a new pope, will begin in nine days.
The College of Cardinals — the cardinals within the Catholic Church worldwide — are set to converge on May 7 for the election process, according to the Vatican, which announced the date on Monday, April 28.
According to a Vatican spokesperson, cardinals in Rome "made the decision at the Fifth General Congregation, held on Monday morning in the Vatican's Synod Hall."
"The conclave will take place in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, which will remain closed to visitors during those days," the spokesperson added.
The cardinals will lock themselves inside the Sistine Chapel to begin the voting process on May 7, which is just over two weeks after Pope Francis died of a stroke on Monday, April 21, at age 88.
Related: Pope Francis Made Surprise Easter Appearance in Final Hours Before He Died
The conclave process, which has historically been clandestine, came into the spotlight with the Oscar-winning 2024 film Conclave starring Ralph Fiennes.
During his papacy, Pope Francis appointed many cardinals from Asia, Africa and his native South America, rather than Europe. Francis himself was the first non-European pope since the eighth century, and the first-ever pope from the Americas.
Bill Cavanaugh, an American Catholic theologian and professor of Catholic studies at DePaul University, told PEOPLE there are restrictions on which cardinals can cast votes for the next pope.
"Only cardinals who are under 80 can vote," Cavanaugh said. "And a papal candidate needs two-thirds of the vote of the voting cardinals to be elected."
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Related: Pope Francis Lies in Open Casket amid Memorial Rites as Date and Location of Funeral Are Announced
The conclave also consists of general congregations, said nationally recognized Pope Francis expert Kathleen Sprows Cummings, which engage all cardinals — not just voting ones — in discussion about the Church's needs.
Following each vote, Cummings said, smoke is sent up the Sistine Chapel's chimney. If the smoke is black, the cardinals are still deliberating, but if it's white, "We have a new pope," Cummings said.
Some experts have speculated that the late pope's successor may share in his more progressive ideals for the Church, but Cavanaugh suggested "anything can happen."
"It's not like there's a clear front runner right now. There's a lot of speculation," he said. "Will it be back to another European pope, or will it be another pope from the global south, from Asia, from Africa? We just don't know."
Following Pope Francis's death, his papal apartments, called the Apostolic Palace, were sealed — another moment made famous by the 2024 film. However, Francis actually resided in a smaller room, called the Casa Santa Marta, which was also sealed in accordance with tradition.
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