Cardinals of the Catholic Church gathered Wednesday to begin the Papal Conclave, the secretive process for electing a new leader following the death of Pope Francis last month.
The day's events started with a special mass known as “Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice,” meaning “for the election of the Roman Pontiff.” Cardinals gather for the vote.
After the mass, the participants made their way to the Sistine Chapel within the Vatican, the traditional location for the conclave. The chapel is under lockdown, with security measures in place to ensure secrecy. Even cell phone signals around the area have been blocked..One hundred thirty-three voting Cardinals are participating in the process. They will cast ballots to select the next pontiff.
A candidate needs more than two-thirds of the votes to be elected Pope. If no cardinal achieves this majority on the first ballot, voting will continue.
According to reports, as many as four rounds of voting could occur on Thursday if a new pope is not chosen Wednesday. Understanding how the vote will work provides insight into the potential timeline. Vatican live updates offer further details.
Electing a new pope can take varying amounts of time, as shown by how long the process might take.
The selection of the new leader of the Catholic Church is watched by followers globally.
