The Vatican says the conclave to elect a new pope will begin
on May 7.
Cardinals in Rome decided on Monday at the fifth general
congregation in the Vatican’s Synod Hall.
The decision comes as the traditional mourning period for
Pope Francis concludes.
After he died last Monday, a nine-day mourning period was
announced.
Francis was eventually laid to rest on Saturday,
kickstarting preparations to elect a successor.
Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote,
with 135 electors expected to participate out of the total of 252 cardinals.
If the total number of electors is not evenly divisible by
three, an additional vote is necessary.
The conclave will take place in the Sistine Chapel under
strict secrecy, with multiple rounds of voting until a candidate receives a
two-thirds majority.
Throughout the election process, the Cardinal electors must
refrain from sending letters or engaging in conversations, including phone
calls, except in cases of extreme urgency.
They are not allowed to send or receive messages of any
kind, receive newspapers or magazines of any nature, or follow radio or
television broadcasts.
The election could last several days, but if the electors
fail to reach an agreement on a candidate after three days of inconclusive
voting, a break of up to one day is allowed for prayer, free discussion among
voters, and a brief spiritual exhortation by Dominique Mamberti, cardinal
proto-deacon.
The successful candidate will be announced with the
traditional “Habemus papam” proclamation, accompanied by the appearance of
white smoke from the chapel chimney.
If the ballot is inconclusive, the chimney will emit black
smoke.
The new pope will face the challenge of uniting a church
marked by internal divisions and navigating complex global issues.
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