The meeting of cardinals to elect a new Pope will begin on May 7 at the Vatican, the Holy See’s press office said on Monday.
The conclave will be held in the Sistine Chapel, with 135 cardinals taking part in the vote.
“The cardinals present in Rome have agreed to begin the conclave on May 7, 2025. They made the decision at the Fifth General Congregation held on Monday morning in the Vatican’s Synodal Hall. The conclave will take place in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, which will remain closed to visitors during those days,” the press office said.
The legal election of a new Pope requires two-thirds of the votes of the voters present. If the total number of voters is not divisible by three, an additional vote is needed. After the votes are counted, all ballots are burned.
If the vote is inconclusive, the chimney above the Sistine Chapel releases black smoke. If the Pope is elected, white smoke billows from the chimney.
Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican.
