The Vatican has recently announced…
Next month, cardinals will convene in a confidential conclave to select the new pope, as announced by the Vatican. This private assembly is scheduled to commence in the Sistine Chapel on May 7 and will include approximately 135 cardinals from around the globe.
This event comes in the wake of the passing of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 on Easter Monday, with his funeral taking place on Saturday.
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, following which eligible voters will convene in the Sistine Chapel for a confidential ballot.
Upon entering the Sistine Chapel, cardinals are required to refrain from any communication with the outside world until a new Pope is chosen.
During the initial afternoon of the conclave, there will be a single round of voting; however, the cardinals are permitted to cast their votes up to four times each subsequent day.
The election of a new pope necessitates a two-thirds majority, which may require considerable time.
Who will succeed as the next Pope? The process of electing a Pope. The unpredictability of the conclave. Remarkable images from the funeral of Pope Francis.
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 the candidate he has selected. Should the conclave extend into its third day without a resolution, the cardinals are permitted to take a day for prayer.
The global audience will be observing the chimney of the Sistine Chapel for the smoke signals. Black smoke indicates that another voting session will take place, while white smoke signifies the election of a new pope.
On Saturday, a gathering of politicians and members of royalty took place alongside thousands of mourners during the funeral of Pope Francis, which was conducted in St. Peter’s Square.
Hymns resonated from large speakers, occasionally overshadowed by the noise of helicopters overhead, prior to a homily delivered by 91-year-old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re regarding the legacy of the pope.
Following a ceremony, large crowds gathered along the streets of Rome to observe the procession of the Pope’s coffin to its final resting place at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica.
