Cardinals converge as papal conclave set to begin in Rome
On Wednesday, 7th May, the conclave will commence in the Sistine Chapel - the third in the 21st century. All cardinals who will partake in the election of the new pope have already arrived in Rome. What time will the conclave start? When will we learn who will succeed Francis?
In Rome, there are intense preparations for the conclave. All the cardinal-electors who will participate in the election of the new, 267th pope have arrived. During the conclave, everything follows a strict schedule - specific rules and timing apply.
What time will the conclave start?
According to vaticannews.va, on May 7 at 10:00 AM local time, a Mass will be celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica Pro eligendo Romano Pontifice, meaning "For the Election of the Pope." The ceremony will be led by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
Meanwhile, the actual entry of the cardinals into the conclave will begin at 4:30 PM. At that time, a procession of 133 cardinals will move from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel, where the discussions will take place.
Voting will happen twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon, until a new pope is elected.
During the 2013 conclave, when Pope Francis was elected, the first black smoke appeared around 7:40 PM on the first day. Any subsequent signals will be given around 10:30 AM, noon, 5:30 PM, and after 7 PM.
