Cardinals Begin Papal Conclave to Elect New Pope at the Vatican

The Catholic Church, with its 1.4 billion members, is now waiting for the election of its next leader a moment that could shape the future of the faith. Catholic cardinals attended a special Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday, May 7, just a few hours before they started the secret vote, known as the conclave, to choose a new pope.

A total of 133 cardinals, who are allowed to vote, walked into the basilica in a formal procession while a choir sang.

The Mass was led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. He opened the ceremony by swinging a censer with incense around the altar and blessing a statue of the Virgin Mary.

After the Mass, the cardinals moved to the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, where they began the private conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month.

Over 130 Catholic cardinals from around the world are now meeting at the Vatican to begin the conclave. This tradition has been used for centuries to elect a new pope after a papacy ends.

According to the Vatican, 108 of the cardinals are taking part in the conclave for the first time. Only five cardinals voted in the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI: Philippe Barbarin of France, Josip Bozanić of Croatia, Péter Erdő of Hungary, Vinko Pulić of Bosnia, and Peter Turkson of Ghana.

The conclave is taking place behind closed doors in the Sistine Chapel. All cardinals are cut off from the outside world, and no contact is allowed until a new pope is chosen. This rule is meant to protect the fairness and secrecy of the process. Voting will continue until one person receives a two-thirds majority.

“When the choice is made, white smoke will billow from the Apostolic Palace. It is a sign to the world that the Church has a new shepherd,” a Vatican spokesperson said.

Once the white smoke appears, the newly elected pope will step onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the public. This marks the beginning of his time as pope.

Some experts believe the process will go smoothly, but there is no clear favorite.

“The winner is not a foregone conclusion. Though this conclave is expected to be less divisive than past ones, it’s still wide open,” said a senior Vatican analyst.