Papal Conclave Begins as Cardinals Enclosed in Sistine Chapel

The Papal Conclave has officially begun in the Vatican as 133 cardinal electors entered the Sistine Chapel and the doors were ceremonially shut, initiating the secretive process to elect a new Pope following the death of Pope Francis. The cardinals, representing a historically diverse group from around the globe, began the ritual by chanting hymns and swearing oaths of secrecy under Michelangelo’s Last Judgment fresco. The gathering was presided over by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, who is also seen as a leading candidate. Voting is conducted in secrecy, with each cardinal writing their chosen candidate on a ballot; a two-thirds majority is required to elect the new pontiff. If no decision is reached in a voting round, ballots are burned to produce black smoke; white smoke will signal when a new Pope has been chosen. The process, steeped in tradition and ritual, may last several days as the cardinals seek consensus on the next leader of the Catholic Church.