By The Vatican has announced that Catholic cardinals will convene in a secret conclave starting May 7 to elect a new pope, following the death and burial of Pope Francis. The late pontiff, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, was laid to rest on Saturday.
Although there is no formal deadline to choose a new pope, history suggests a swift process; the last two conclaves in 2005 and 2013 each lasted just two days. About 135 cardinals from across the globe are expected to participate in the closed-door voting sessions inside the Sistine Chapel.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the cardinals will celebrate a solemn mass at St. Peter’s Basilica before proceeding into the Sistine Chapel, where they will be cut off from outside communication until a new pontiff is elected.
The procedure allows for one round of voting on the first afternoon, with up to four votes daily afterward. A new pope must secure a two-thirds majority, and if no decision is reached by the third day, the cardinals may pause for a day of prayer.
Each cardinal will write his chosen candidate’s name on a ballot card that reads, in Latin, “I elect as Supreme Pontiff.” The process is closely watched by the world, as smoke signals from the chapel’s chimney reveal the progress of the vote.
Black smoke indicates no decision has been made, while white smoke signals that a new pope has been chosen, ending the conclave and heralding the start of a new papacy.
