All 133 Catholic cardinals eligible to vote have now arrived in Rome to begin the process of electing a new pope. The Vatican confirmed their arrival on Monday. According to the Church’s tradition, they will begin the conclave on Wednesday, gathering inside the Sistine Chapel to vote in secret. Their goal is to choose a successor to Pope Francis, who died on April 21. The conclave will begin at 4:30 p.m. local time (1430 GMT), and each cardinal is expected to remain in seclusion until the new pope is chosen.
Cardinals Prepare for Papal Election in Sistine Chapel
“The reshuffle will see the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Seun Ashamu, move to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources,” the letter stated. The voting process will continue until one of the cardinals receives a two-thirds majority vote. They will sleep at the nearby Santa Marta guesthouse, but they are not allowed to contact the outside world until the election is completed. After each voting session, smoke from the burnt ballots will signal the result—black smoke if no pope has been elected, white smoke if a new pontiff is chosen.
On Monday, technicians installed red curtains on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, where the new pope will appear for the first time. Church watchers are paying close attention to whether the next pope will continue Francis’s progressive agenda or return to a more conservative path. Pope Francis, who led the church for twelve years, appointed about 80% of the cardinals voting in this conclave.
Cardinals Gather as Speculations Grow Over Pope Francis’s Successor
Cardinals met on Monday morning and afternoon in preparatory meetings known as general congregations. While only the 133 eligible cardinals will vote, all cardinals can attend these sessions to discuss the challenges facing the Church. Vatican affairs expert Marco Politi said this could be “the most spectacular conclave in 50 years” due to the uncertainties.
Among the faithful in St. Peter’s Square, there were differing opinions on who should take over. A German pilgrim, Aurelius Lie, said, “Maybe more of Pope Francis than Pope Benedict.” However, Canadian priest Justin Pulikunnel said, “I hope and I pray that the new pope will kind of be a source of unity in the Church and kind of calm the waters down after almost a dozen years of destabilisation and ambiguity.”
The conclave could last days or even weeks. While the last two popes were elected within two days, this time might be different. Possible candidates include Pietro Parolin, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Luis Antonio Tagle, and Peter Erdo. Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako said, “The pope must read the signs of the times to have the right answer and not be closeted in his palace.”
New Pope to Emerge as Church Faces Modern Challenges
The Catholic Church now faces a turning point. As the conclave begins, the cardinals must choose a leader who can unite the faithful, preserve the Church’s values, and address global concerns. The world watches as the smoke rises above the Vatican, waiting for the white signal that a new pope has been elected.
