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Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Conclave to Elect Pope Francis' Successor Will Begin May 7, with Cardinals Converging to Select New Pontiff
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." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. 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. Read the original article on People
Herald Malaysia
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Conclave to elect new pope to begin on May 7
It will take place in the Sistine Chapel, which will remain closed to visitors during those days Apr 28, 2025 A file photo of Cardinals entering the Sistine Chapel before the conclave in March 2013. (Photo: Vatican News) The College of Cardinals, gathered in the Vatican City, has announced that they will begin their conclave to elect the 267th pope of the Catholic Church on May 7. The decision was made during the Fifth General Congregation of the cardinals in the Vatican's Synod Hall on April 28, the Vatican News reported. The highly secretive process of the election of a pope will take place inside the closed doors of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel. The conclave, which comes after Pope Francis' death on April 21 and burial on April 26, will be preceded by a solemn Mass, attended by all available members of the College of Cardinals, the electors. Following the Holy Mass, the electors will move in a solemn procession to the Sistine Chapel, and each will take the oath following a prescribed form. Through this oath, they commit, if elected, to faithfully fulfill the Munus Petrinum as Pastor of the Universal Church, the Vatican News reported. The cardinals will also pledge to maintain absolute secrecy regarding the procedures and to refrain from supporting any attempts for external interference in the election. Following the pledge, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations will proclaim the extra omnes, meaning that all individuals who are not part of the Conclave must leave the Sistine Chapel. Among the 252 cardinals in the church, 135 under the age of 80 are eligible to vote for a new pope. Some 80 percent of the cardinal electors were appointed by Francis -- though that is no guarantee they will pick a successor in his likeness. Only the Master himself and the ecclesiastic designated to deliver the second meditation remain. This meditation focuses on the grave responsibility that rests upon the electors and the necessity of acting with pure intentions for the good of the Universal Church, keeping only God before their eyes. The election process is conducted with utmost secrecy and the electors must refrain from sending letters or engaging in conversations, including phone calls, except in cases of extreme urgency. 'They are not allowed to send or receive messages of any kind, receive newspapers or magazines of any nature, or follow radio or television broadcasts,' the Vatican News reported. To elect a new pope, a two-thirds majority of the electors present is required. If the total number of electors is not evenly divisible by three, an additional vote is necessary. Two ballots are slated to be held each day; however, in case the voting begins on the afternoon of the first day, there will be only one ballot. After the votes are counted, all ballots are burned. In the event of an inconclusive ballot, a chimney positioned over the Sistine Chapel emits black smoke. If a Pope is elected, white smoke will billow out of the chimney. If they fail to elect a pope after three days of inconclusive voting, a day's break is allowed for prayer and discussions before resuming the
