Conclave opens May 7 as cardinals gather to elect new pope
The Vatican has announced the start time for the conclave. The event will begin on May 7 with a prayer in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace at 4:30 p.m., followed by a procession to the Sistine Chapel.
Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025, which, according to canon law, means that the conclave must begin at the earliest 15 days after his death. The cardinal electors will gather in the Sistine Chapel on May 7, 2025, to choose a new pope.
At 10:00 a.m., a mass for the intention of choosing a pope will be held at St. Peter's Basilica, presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista. The conclave will commence with a prayer in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace at 4:30 p.m., followed by a procession to the Sistine Chapel.
Initially, 135 cardinals from 71 countries were eligible to participate. However, Cardinals Antonio Cañizares Llovera from Spain and Vinko Puljić from Bosnia and Herzegovina announced that they will not participate in the conclave for health reasons.
As reported by Vatican News on Tuesday, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu will not participate in the conclave, which will elect a new pope and begin on May 7. The Sardinian prelate announced this in a published declaration. The Vatican tribunal sentenced Becciu to five and a half years in prison for embezzlement and abuse of power, but the cardinal has appealed, claiming his innocence.
A new conclave favourite?
According to Vatican expert Francesco Antonio Grana, Cardinal Pietro Parolin is the favourite in the upcoming conclave. The expert claims he can already count on 40 assured votes of support from the start.
Besides Parolin, among the favourites are mentioned Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference. The 60-year-old Pizzaballa could guarantee a long pontificate, while Zuppi is seen as a continuation of Pope Francis' policies.
Also mentioned are Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Willem Jacobus Eijk, Archbishop of Utrecht, and Robert Francis Prevost, former Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
