Vatican Announces May 7 For Conclave To Elect New Pope
The Vatican has officially announced that the conclave to elect the next pope will begin on May 7, 2025, marking a key moment in the Roman Catholic Church’s transition following the death of Pope Francis on April 21 at age 88.
The announcement was made via Vatican News in an X (formerly Twitter) post on Monday, quoting the Holy See Press Office. The decision was taken during the fifth General Congregation of cardinals currently present in Rome.
The conclave, which will take place in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, comes more than two weeks after the passing of Pope Francis and will unfold behind closed doors. The Sistine Chapel will remain off-limits to the public during the process.
A total of 135 cardinals were eligible to participate based on the 1996 apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, which limits voting to cardinals under the age of 80. However, Cardinal Antonio Llovera of Spain will not attend due to health issues, leaving 134 cardinals to cast votes in the conclave.
The word conclave comes from the Latin “cum clave,” meaning “with a key,” referencing the tradition of locking away the cardinals in the Sistine Chapel until a new pope is elected. A successful candidate must receive a two-thirds majority vote.
Matthew Schmalz, a professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts and a noted expert on Catholicism, commented in an interview with The Christian Post that this conclave may last longer than recent ones due to the fact that many of the cardinals appointed by Pope Francis hail from underrepresented regions and are not well acquainted with one another. Despite this, he does not expect a prolonged deadlock.
Historically, recent conclaves have taken multiple rounds of voting. In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI was elected after four ballots, while Pope Francis was elected in 2013 after five rounds.
Schmalz also identified potential front-runners to succeed Pope Francis:
Cardinal Luis Tagle, former archbishop of Manila and now a senior official in the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, is seen as a likely favorite among those wanting to continue Francis’ reforms.
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna, is also viewed as a reform-minded candidate.
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Cardinal Malcolm Rajinth of Colombo, Sri Lanka, is described as a possible consensus choice who could serve as a “bridge-builder” between conservatives and progressives.
Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea may appeal to more conservative members who hope to reverse some of Francis’ reforms.
As the Church enters its first full week without a pontiff, global attention turns to Vatican City, where one of the most significant decisions in the Catholic world is about to unfold.
Content Credit: Agbetan Bisola
Image Credit: edition.cnn.com
