Rome and London – The papal conclave to replace Pope Francis will begin on Wednesday, May 7, said the Vatican on Monday.
The cardinals will meet in the Vatican to begin a process of choice of a new Pope, who will become the 267 leader of the Catholic Church.
The cardinals attend the tribute of the College of Cardinals and Vespers, the first day of their opening to the public in Santa María Maggiore Basilica on April 27, 2025 in Rome, Italy.
Eric Vandeville through Vatican Pool Wo/Getty Images
The announcement follows a weekend of prayer and reflection in the Vatican, where the world leaders and the faithful gathered on Saturday for a funeral mass.
The cardinals attend the tribute of the College of Cardinals and Vespers, the first day of their opening to the public in Santa María Maggiore Basilica on April 27, 2025 in Rome, Italy.
Vatican Pool Wo/Getty Images
Francis, who died last Monday at the age of 88, was buried on Saturday in the basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.
The cardinals who will choose the new Pope will gather in the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican, which closed the public as of Monday, according to a notice published on the website of the Vatican Museum.
