Conclave Scheduled to Elect Successor to Pope Francis on May 7, says Vatican

The Vatican confirmed that a conclave to elect a new pope will commence on May 7, with around 135 cardinals set to participate. This significant event comes after the passing of Pope Francis at the age of 88. His funeral was held recently amidst a gathering of global leaders and mourners in Rome. As cardinals prepare to convene in the Sistine Chapel, the process will remain shrouded in secrecy as they seek a two-thirds majority to confirm the new Supreme Pontiff.

The cardinals will begin with a solemn mass at St. Peter's Basilica before entering the Sistine Chapel, where they will engage in a silent voting process without any communication with the outside world. While the first round of voting occurs on the same day, subsequent votes can happen multiple times each day. If a resolution is not reached by the third day of voting, the cardinals might take a day for prayerful reflection. The decision will be publicized through the signaling of smoke from the chapel's chimney: black smoke indicates further voting is needed, while white smoke announces the election of a new pope.

Pope Francis’s funeral attracted significant attention, attended by numerous dignitaries and thousands of mourners who watched a moving procession through the streets of Rome. Following the ceremony, heartfelt tributes included the placement of a single white rose on his tomb at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, commemorating the legacy of a pope widely respected across the globe.