Cardinals enter conclave to choose new Pope

Over 130 Catholic cardinals worldwide are convening today at the Vatican for the start of the papal conclave, a centuries-old tradition to elect a new pope following the end of Pope Francis’ papacy.

According to the Vatican, 108 of the cardinals are participating in the conclave for the first time.

Only five cardinals have previous voting experience from the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI: Philippe Barbarin of France, Josip Bozanić of Croatia, Péter Erdő of Hungary, Vinko Pulić of Bosnia, and Peter Turkson of Ghana.

The conclave will take place behind closed doors within the Sistine Chapel. All participants will be cut off from the outside world, and no contact will be permitted until a decision is reached. This secrecy is designed to maintain the integrity of the voting process, which continues until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority.

“When the choice is made, white smoke will billow from the Apostolic Palace. It is a sign to the world that the Church has a new shepherd,” a Vatican spokesperson said.

How new Pope will be confirmed

Once the smoke appears, the newly elected pope will emerge onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the public, marking the official start of his papacy.

While some observers believe the process will proceed relatively smoothly, there is no clear frontrunner.

“The winner is not a foregone conclusion. Though this conclave is expected to be less divisive than past ones, it’s still wide open,” said a senior Vatican analyst.

The Catholic Church, with its 1.4 billion members, is now awaiting the selection of its next leader—a moment that will shape the future of the faith for years to come.