VATICAN CITY, May 7 (Alliance News): Cardinals from around the world began checking into Vatican guesthouses on Tuesday as the Catholic Church prepares to elect a new pope following the death of Pope Francis last month.
The secret conclave is set to begin Wednesday afternoon inside the Sistine Chapel.
A total of 133 cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in this highly guarded process to choose the next leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
During the conclave, all communication with the outside world is cut off, and the cardinals are sworn to secrecy until a new pontiff is selected.
The race to succeed Francis, who was known for his emphasis on compassion, inclusion, and reform, remains wide open.
Many voting cardinals, including Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington, D.C., have said they have no prediction about the outcome. “The process is profound and mysterious,” McElroy told parishioners in Rome.
Cardinals are reportedly divided between continuing Pope Francis’ reformist agenda — promoting transparency, social justice, and a more welcoming Church — and returning to more traditional roots emphasizing doctrine and structure.
The conclave is expected to last several days, with successive rounds of voting. A candidate must receive a two-thirds majority to be elected pope.
This conclave is the most globally diverse in Church history, with cardinals from 70 countries participating.
Asian cardinals, numbering 23, are expected to vote more cohesively, according to Japanese Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, who hinted that they may rally around one or two key candidates. In contrast, Europe’s 53 cardinals are seen as more fragmented in their preferences.
Francis had prioritized appointing cardinals from historically underrepresented nations, including Haiti, Myanmar, and South Sudan — a move that has reshaped the geographical balance of the College of Cardinals.
Ahead of the conclave, the cardinals met daily since April 22 to discuss the Church’s future. In their final pre-conclave assembly, they issued a strong statement lamenting the ongoing wars in Ukraine, the Middle East, and elsewhere.
“We make a heartfelt appeal to all parties involved to reach a permanent ceasefire… and negotiate the long-desired peace,” the statement read.
Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said the cardinals also reflected on the qualities needed in the next pope, including a continued focus on climate action, social equity, and a vision of the Church rooted in “mercy and hope.”
