Cardinals consult: When does the conclave begin to Franziskus' death?

Cardinals consult: When does the conclave begin to Franziskus' death?

Wien, Österreich - in Rome, the cardinals of the Catholic Church are currently gathering on the choice of a new Pope. As a result of the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, these meetings have become necessary. Like vienna.at , numerous believers say goodbye to the grave of the deceased Pope, while the cardinals are on the upcoming Prepare elections.

The exact dates for the desired conclave, which will traditionally take place in the Sistine chapel, are currently not yet determined. However, the appointment could be announced on Monday. This would already be the fifth general congregation, which has been taking place since the death of Pope Francis. It should be emphasized that only 135 of 252 cardinals are entitled to vote because they are under 80 years old. The earliest possible start of the conclave could be on May 5th or 6th.

grief for Pope Francis

The sympathy to Pope Francis can also be felt outside of Rome. Thousands of people said goodbye to him in the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore on Sunday. His funeral took place in the basilica on Saturday. The funeral service continues with a total of nine funeral fairs, with the third on Monday at 5 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, led by Cardinal Baldo Reina. The second funeral fair was also led by Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Sunday. Even in the Austrian capital there was a funeral service in the Vienna St. Stephen's Cathedral, in which Archbishop Franz Lackner and Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and Chancellor Christian Stocker took part.

The pope election that is being prepared these days is an important process within the Catholic Church. It becomes necessary when a sedis vacancy arises, which usually happens when the previous Pope dies or resigns. According to the website wikipedia , the cardinals entitled to vote are the only ones that can exercise the right to vote. These regulations have grown over the centuries and have been reformed by various popes to ensure an orderly process.

The course of the pope choice

The choice of the new Pope traditionally takes place in a secret procedure in the Sistine chapel, where the cardinals are isolated from the outside world during the complaint. The smoke from the chimney of the chapel is the signal whether a choice has taken place - black smoke means that no choice has been made, white smoke informs about the choice of a new pope. The new Pope is asked whether he accepts the choice and what name he wants to accept. The last pope election, which lasted for more than half a year, took place in 1316 and shows that political influences can also shape the course of such elections.

In view of the current situation in which the cardinals come together to determine the future head of the Roman Catholic Church, the whole world is eagerly awaiting the next steps in this centuries-old process.