As the Catholic Church prepares for the election of a new pope, all eyes are on the upcoming conclave, the sacred gathering of cardinals tasked with selecting the Supreme Pontiff.
Here’s what you need to know about the conclave process, when it will start, and how it works, as Father Shawn Landenwitch explains:
The next conclave is set to begin May 7th and will be held in the Sistine Chapel.
The conclave is composed of the College of Cardinals, the senior clergy of the Catholic Church.
Not all cardinals can vote in the papal election, however.
Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to participate in the voting process.
The cardinals gather in a spirit of prayer and reflection as they work toward electing a new pope who will lead the Church for years to come.
In past conclaves, the time taken to elect a pope has varied significantly:
- Pope Francis was elected on the second day of voting in 2013.
- Pope Benedict XVI was also elected after two days of voting in 2005.
- The longest conclave of the modern era took place in 1903, lasting five days before Pope Pius X was elected.
As the world awaits the transition of leadership within the Catholic Church, all eyes will be on the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals will gather in prayer, silence, and secrecy to select the next pope.
