Vatican Sets Date for Conclave to Elect New Pope

The Vatican announced it will convene the papal conclave on May 7 to elect a successor to Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21.

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni confirmed on Sunday that the conclave will take place more than a week after the funeral of Pope Francis, bringing together cardinals from around the world to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

Ahead of the secret ballot vote inside the Sistine Chapel at the Apostolic Palace, eligible cardinals will attend a mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.

All 252 cardinals were summoned to the Vatican following the pope’s death. However, only 135 of them—those under the age of 80—are eligible to participate in the conclave. Of that group, 120 will be selected to enter the conclave, and each will be considered a potential candidate for the papacy. To be elected pope, a candidate must receive a two-thirds majority.

This marks the first time in Church history that the majority of voting cardinals hail from outside Europe, a stark contrast to the 1939 conclave that elected Pope Pius XII, where 89% of cardinals were European.

Observers expect heated debate over whether the Church should continue in the direction set by Pope Francis—toward a more inclusive, globally engaged institution—or pivot back to a more traditional, doctrinal approach.

Pope Francis, who led the Vatican during an era marked by sexual abuse scandals and financial controversies, was widely seen as a humble and reform-minded leader who championed the marginalized and often apologized for the Church’s past failings.

While many hoped that the “Francis effect” would reinvigorate the Church, especially in the West, membership continued to decline in Europe and North America—even as it grew in the Global South.

(Source: AFP, Reuters)

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