, the cardinals will begin their ceremonial procession from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel, singing the Latin hymn Veni Creator Spiritus){kind=link}
VATICAN CITY — May 7, 2025: Under the awe-inspiring ceiling of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, 133 cardinals will convene on Wednesday evening to elect the Catholic Church’s 267th pope. The high-stakes conclave comes just over a week after the funeral of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 on Easter Monday.
The day of the conclave begins solemnly at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST) with a televised mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. The service will be led by the 91-year-old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, who also presided over the late Pope Francis’ funeral on April 26.
In the early afternoon, Vatican authorities will deactivate mobile signals across the territory, enforcing strict isolation for the cardinal electors.
At approximately 16:15 (15:15 BST), the cardinals will begin their ceremonial procession from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel, singing the Latin hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, an invocation of the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
Once inside the chapel, the cardinals will each take an oath of secrecy, pledging never to reveal details of the election process. The traditional command “extra omnes” (“everyone out”) will then be announced by Diego Ravelli, Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, signaling the beginning of the conclave.
Only a handful of ecclesiastical staff are allowed to remain briefly before being dismissed ahead of voting. Though the word “conclave” originates from the Latin cum clave—“with key”—modern-day electors are not physically locked in.
Still, access to the Apostolic Palace is sealed with lead by Vatican officials, and Swiss Guards will be stationed at all entrances to ensure complete seclusion.
The first round of voting is expected to take place soon after. While electing a pope in the initial ballot is not impossible, it hasn’t occurred in centuries.
“In the first vote, the ballots are usually scattered,” says Catholic commentator Austen Ivereigh. “Those who receive 20 or more votes are usually considered frontrunners going forward.”
If no candidate secures the required two-thirds majority, cardinals will return to Casa Santa Marta, their residence during the conclave, for dinner and rest.
Behind closed doors, informal discussions are expected to help shape consensus among the group. Waitstaff and kitchen personnel at the guesthouse are also sworn to secrecy and restricted from leaving the premises until the conclave concludes.
From Thursday, cardinals will begin their day early with breakfast, followed by a morning mass and two rounds of voting.
After lunch and rest, two additional ballots may be held in the afternoon. Pope Francis, in his memoirs, recalled receiving strong signs of support during such informal moments before his election.
Whether this conclave will be swift or protracted remains uncertain, but precedent suggests a resolution within two days. Outside the chapel, crowds of pilgrims and faithful will watch for the iconic smoke signals—black for inconclusive votes, white for the moment a new pope is chosen.
Until then, the world waits, eyes fixed on a tiny chimney in Vatican City.