The Vatican has announced that cardinals will convene next month in a confidential conclave to select the next pope.
This closed meeting is scheduled to commence in the Sistine Chapel on May 7, involving approximately 135 cardinals from around the globe.
This follows the passing of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 on Easter Monday, with his funeral taking place on Saturday.
While there is no specified duration for the election process, previous conclaves in 2005 and 2013 were completed in just two days.
Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni indicated that the cardinals will participate in a solemn mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, after which eligible voters will assemble in the Sistine Chapel for the confidential voting process.
Once inside, the cardinals are prohibited from any external communication until a new pope is chosen.
The initial voting round will occur on the first afternoon of the conclave, followed by up to four votes each subsequent day.
A new pope must secure a two-thirds majority, which may require considerable time.
Each cardinal submits his vote on a straightforward card inscribed in Latin with the phrase: ‘I elect as Supreme Pontiff,’ followed by the name of their preferred candidate. Should the conclave reach the end of its third day without a consensus, the cardinals may take a day for prayer.
The world will be observing the smoke emanating from the chimney outside the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke indicates that another voting round will occur, while white smoke signifies the election of a new pope.
On Saturday, dignitaries and members of royalty gathered with thousands of mourners for the funeral of Pope Francis in St Peter’s Square.
Hymns resonated through large speakers, occasionally interrupted by the noise of helicopters overhead, as 91-year-old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re delivered a homily reflecting on the pope’s legacy.
Following the ceremony, large crowds filled the streets of Rome to witness the procession of the Pope’s coffin to its final resting place at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica.
Authorities reported that 140,000 individuals lined the streets, applauding and waving as the hearse, a modified white popemobile, traversed the Tiber River and passed by some of Rome’s most iconic landmarks, including the Colosseum, the Forum, and the Altare della Patria national monument located in Piazza Venezia.
On Sunday, photographs of Pope Francis’s tomb at the church were unveiled, depicting a solitary white rose resting on the stone inscribed with the name he was recognized by during his papacy, beneath a crucifix highlighted by a single spotlight.
The duration for electing the next pope is currently unspecified; however, the last two conclaves, conducted in 2005 and 2013, were completed in merely two days.
Matteo Bruni, the spokesman for the Vatican, announced that cardinals will participate in a solemn mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by a gathering in the Sistine Chapel for a confidential ballot among those eligible to vote.
Upon entering the Sistine Chapel, the cardinals are prohibited from any external communication until a new Pope is chosen.
The initial afternoon of the conclave will feature a single round of voting, with subsequent days allowing for up to four votes each day. A two-thirds majority is necessary to elect a new pope, which may require considerable time.
