Cardinals set to elect new Pope on May 7
Five days before cardinals gather for the conclave, firefighters on Friday installed the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel which will emit white smoke to signal the election of a new pope.
Some 133 Catholic cardinals will gather below Michelangelo’s famed frescoes in the 15th-century chapel, situated inside the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, to elect a successor to Pope Francis following his death on April 21.
Held behind locked doors, the conclave will signal to the world the outcome by burning ballots in a special stove, with the chimney emitting black smoke if no one has been elected, or white smoke if there is a new pope.
Cardinals from around the world have been called back to Rome following the death of Francis, an energetic reformer from Argentina who led the Catholic Church for 12 years.
*Conclave Details:*
– *Location*: The Sistine Chapel, situated inside the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, will be the venue for the conclave.
– *Voting Process*: The cardinals will vote in secret, with the winner needing a two-thirds majority (89 votes) to win.
– *Signal*: White smoke will indicate a successful election, while black smoke will signify that no Pope has been elected yet.
– *Cardinals*: Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the conclave.¹ ²
*Potential Candidates:*
Some of the cardinals being mentioned as potential candidates include:
– *Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle* of the Philippines
– *Cardinal Pietro Parolin* of Italy, who served as Vatican secretary of state under Pope Francis
– *Cardinal Peter Turkson* of Ghana
The conclave will begin at 4:30 pm (1430 GMT) on May 7, with the cardinals taking an oath to maintain secrecy and elect a new Pope.
