Vatican Conclave Begins as 133 Cardinals Gather to Choose Successor to Pope Francis

The College of Cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday to open the papal conclave that will choose the successor to Pope Francis, who died last month. After a morning Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, the 133 eligible cardinal electors—those under the age of 80—were formally sequestered, beginning a ritual that has governed papal transitions for centuries.

The cardinals will cast secret ballots up to four times a day until one candidate secures the necessary two-thirds majority. Black smoke from a chimney atop the chapel will indicate an inconclusive vote; white smoke will announce the election of a new pontiff. All participants are bound by strict rules of confidentiality and are cut off from outside communication for the duration of the proceedings.

The Vatican has not provided a timeline for the vote, but recent conclaves have ended within a few days. Crowds have gathered in St. Peter’s Square, and broadcasters worldwide are livestreaming the chimney as the Catholic Church—and much of the globe—awaits the signal revealing its next spiritual leader.