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All 133 Cardinals Arrive for 7 May Conclave to Choose Pope Francis’s Successor

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Updated May 7, 2025, 06:31 AM

The Vatican said on Monday that all 133 Catholic cardinals entitled to vote for a new pontiff have arrived in Rome, completing the final prerequisite for the upcoming papal conclave. It will be the largest gathering of electors in Church history, with members drawn from 70 countries across five continents. According to the Holy See’s schedule, the cardinals—each under the age of 80—will enter the Sistine Chapel at 4:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, 7 May, and swear an oath of secrecy before casting their first ballot. A two-thirds majority, or at least 89 votes, is needed to choose the 267th pope. If no candidate secures that threshold, up to four ballots per day will follow until a decision is reached. To preserve confidentiality, Vatican authorities will switch off the city-state’s mobile network, deploy signal-jamming equipment and confiscate electronic devices from participants. The electors will remain sequestered in Vatican accommodations and may not communicate with the outside world until the conclave ends. The vote comes less than three weeks after the death of Pope Francis on 21 April at the age of 88. The outcome—traditionally announced by white smoke rising from the chapel chimney and the proclamation “Habemus Papam”—will determine the next spiritual leader for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

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SABC News

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[DEVELOPING] Roman Catholic cardinals will begin the task today of electing a new pope, locking themselves away from the world until they choose the man they hope can unite a diverse but divided global church. SABC News correspondent Trent Murray reports. https://t.co/0VqiupbAHF