This event 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 of the new pope, 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 those eligible to vote will convene in the Sistine Chapel for the confidential voting process. Upon entering the Sistine Chapel, the cardinals are prohibited from communicating with the outside world 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 day thereafter. A two-thirds majority is required to elect a new pope, which may extend the process.
Who will be the next Pope? The process of electing a Pope, the unpredictability of the conclave, and remarkable images from Pope Francis’s funeral are all topics of interest. Each cardinal votes using a simple card inscribed in Latin: ‘I elect as Supreme Pontiff,’ followed by the name of their preferred candidate.
If the conclave does not reach a decision by the end of the third day, the cardinals may take a day for prayer. The world watches the smoke from the chimney outside the Sistine Chapel; black smoke indicates further voting is necessary, while white smoke signifies the election of a new pope.
On Saturday, dignitaries and thousands of mourners gathered in St. Peter’s Square for Pope Francis’s funeral. Hymns resonated through large speakers, occasionally interrupted by the sound 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 people lined the streets, applauding and waving as the hearse, a modified white popemobile, traversed the Tiber River and passed iconic landmarks such as the Colosseum, the Forum, and the Altare della Patria national monument in Piazza Venezia.
On Sunday, images of Pope Francis’s tomb were released, featuring a solitary white rose resting on the stone inscribed with his papal name, illuminated by a single spotlight beneath a crucifix.
On Saturday, a gathering of politicians and members of royalty took place alongside thousands of mourners during the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square.
Hymns resonated through large speakers, occasionally interrupted by the noise of helicopters overhead, prior to 91-year-old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re delivering 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.
