The Vatican has announced that the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor will begin on May 7, with cardinals from around the world gathering to choose a new leader for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

The date was set on Monday following the first daily congregation of cardinals since Pope Francis’ funeral.

Under Church rules, only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote. Currently, 135 cardinals meet the criteria to participate, although at least one has already confirmed his absence.
Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, former Archbishop of Valencia (2014–2022), has stated he will be unable to travel to Rome due to health reasons.

It remains uncertain exactly how many eligible cardinals will be present when the conclave begins. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni reported that more than 180 cardinals have already arrived in Rome and participated in Monday morning’s congregation, including just over 100 voting cardinals.

During their meeting, the cardinals discussed the Church’s future and the challenges it faces globally.

Bruni also announced that Cardinals Reinhard Marx, Luis Antonio Tagle, and Dominique Mamberti have been elected to assist Cardinal Kevin Farrell — the Dublin-born, naturalized American — who serves as camerlengo, responsible for managing the Vatican’s temporal goods during the sede vacante (the period between papacies).

Daily congregations will continue at 9 a.m. local time (3 a.m. ET) each day, except on May 1 and May 4.

The cardinal electors will cast their votes for the next Bishop of Rome in a highly secretive process held in the Sistine Chapel, which was closed to the public on Monday in preparation for the conclave, according to the Vatican Museums’ website.

The last two conclaves — in 2005, which elected Pope Benedict XVI, and in 2013, which elected Pope Francis — each concluded within two days.