Vatican Announces Start Date of Conclave to Elect New Pope

April 29, 2025 | 09:40 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The session to choose the successor of Pope Francis has been decided. As reported by Vatican News, the selection of a new pope will commence with the gathering of cardinals for the papal conclave. This tradition has developed for centuries, to choose a new head of the Catholic Church.

According to Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni on Monday, April 28, 2025, the conclave will begin on May 7, 2025. The announcement came after Pope Francis was laid to rest last Saturday in a ceremony attended by world leaders and hundreds of thousands of mourners in the Vatican to pay their final respects.

Francis passed away on Monday, April 21, 2025 at the age of 88. His death followed a long struggle with illness. He had been hospitalized for weeks.

The Vatican announced the start date of the conclave after the fifth cardinal congregation on Monday morning. The congregation was attended by over 180 cardinals. The cardinals under 80 years of age will be electors in the upcoming conclave. Meanwhile, those over 80 years old will not be allowed to cast a vote.

Bruni stated that several cardinals spoke during the congregation about a number of issues including the Church and its relationship with the world. A new pope must be able to navigate the challenges ahead.

A special mass is expected to be held on May 7, 2025. The first ballot will be cast in the afternoon, local time. Bruni mentioned that some cardinals have notified that they will arrive late, citing health reasons.

The late Pope's funeral ceremony is expected to take place nine days after his burial. Normally, the conclave is held 15 to 20 days after the Pope's death, but as of now, the Holy See has not released details of the meeting. Bruni stated that the conclave will not take place before May 7, 2025 as time is needed for preparations.

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