The Vatican has announced that Catholic cardinals will begin the process of electing a new pope on May 7, following the death of Pope Francis.
The election will take place in the Sistine Chapel, where cardinals under the age of 80 — known as the “Princes of the Church” — will gather to choose a new leader for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
The decision to start the conclave was made on Monday during a general meeting of cardinals, two days after Pope Francis was laid to rest. Francis, aged 88, died on April 21.
Of the Church’s 252 cardinals, only 135 are eligible to vote, having been called back to Rome after the Argentine pontiff’s passing. Many of the cardinals are meeting each other for the first time, although four general congregations held last week helped them to begin forming bonds.
Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, 83, a former leader of Italy’s bishops’ conference, described the atmosphere among the cardinals as “beautiful and fraternal,” despite the large number of electors.
Preparations for the conclave are already underway, with the Vatican closing the Sistine Chapel on Monday.
Speculations over who will succeed Francis remain uncertain. Spanish Cardinal Jose Cobo said, “If Francis was the pope of surprises, this conclave will be as well — it is not predictable.”
The late pope was laid to rest on Saturday during a funeral that drew about 400,000 people to St Peter’s Square. On Sunday, an estimated 70,000 mourners visited his marble tomb at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome.
Frontrunners and Expectations
Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who served as secretary of state under Francis, is considered a leading candidate. Others tipped include Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson, Italy’s Matteo Zuppi, Guinea’s Cardinal Robert Sarah, and Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.
While Pope Francis was admired for his efforts to create a more compassionate Church, some of his reforms sparked resistance, especially among conservatives in the United States and Africa.
Church historian Roberto Regoli noted that cardinals would seek a leader who could promote unity in a time of polarisation. He, however, warned that the election process might not be swift.
In contrast, Cardinal Bassetti expressed optimism that the conclave would not last long.
About 80 percent of the voting cardinals were appointed by Francis himself, although that does not necessarily mean his successor will be someone exactly like him.
Calls for Courageous Leadership
The voting process is highly secretive, with four votes held daily — two in the morning and two in the afternoon — until a candidate secures a two-thirds majority.
Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga of the Central African Republic stressed that the next pope must have a “universal heart” and “love all continents,” saying, “We need a courageous leader, capable of steering the Church through turbulent times.”
A pilgrim, Patrizia Spotti, visiting Rome ahead of the 2026 Jubilee celebrations, said she hoped the new pope would follow the footsteps of Francis, noting that the Church faces many challenges, including dwindling attendance and the lingering impact of clerical abuse scandals.
