Cardinals Set May 7 for Pope Election as Vatican Ends Mourning

The Vatican has fixed May 7 as the start date for the conclave that will select a new pope.

This was decided by cardinals gathered in Rome during their fifth general congregation, held inside the Synod Hall.

The announcement comes shortly after the end of the mourning period for Pope Francis, who died last week Monday.

Following Catholic tradition, the Church observed nine days of mourning for the late pontiff, concluding with his burial on Saturday.

With this ritual now complete, attention has turned to finding a successor.

Only cardinals who are below 80 years old are permitted to vote in the papal election.

Out of the 252 cardinals around the world, 135 meet this requirement and are expected to take part in the voting process.

The conclave will be held inside the Sistine Chapel, where the electors will cast their ballots in strict secrecy.

The voting follows clear rules. For a candidate to become pope, they must receive two-thirds of the total votes.

If the number of electors cannot be evenly divided by three, one extra vote is added to meet the requirement. Voting continues until a winner emerges.

During the conclave, communication with the outside world is blocked. The cardinal electors must not send or receive letters, make calls, or follow any media.

Exceptions are allowed only in cases of urgent need. If there is no result after three days of voting, the cardinals may pause for one day to pray, reflect, and hold informal discussions.

During this pause, a spiritual message will be delivered by Cardinal Dominique Mamberti.

The election process ends with the appearance of white smoke from the chapel’s chimney, which signals that a new pope has been chosen.

If no decision is reached, black smoke is released instead.

Once a new pope is elected, the Vatican will make the official announcement using the traditional Latin phrase that introduces the new leader of the Catholic Church to the world.

The next pope will step into a complex role, facing the task of guiding a global church while addressing ongoing challenges both within and outside the Vatican.