135 cardinals under the age of 80 will take part in the conclave, which will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the current dean of the College of Cardinals.
Following the death of Catholic spiritual leader and Vatican President Pope Francis on April 21, the Catholic Church’s gaze has turned to the person who will become the 267th Pope.
The cardinals, who are in Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral, and the conclave on 28th April morning, according to the Vatican’s official newspaper Vatican News.
The cardinals present at the meeting decided that the conclave would begin on Wednesday, May 7, in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
Thus, after the nine-day mourning period following the funeral ceremony on April 26, the process of determining the Pope will begin on May 7 in the Vatican, where, following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, a “Sede Vacante,” or “office vacant” in Latin, was declared in accordance with church law.
Papal election (conclave)
Under the rules, the cardinal who receives a two-thirds majority, or 90 votes, will be declared the new pope if he accepts the post, and will become the new spiritual leader of the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic world and head of state of Vatican City.
