Conclave to Choose New Pope Will Start May 7, Vatican Says

A conclave to elect the next pope will start on May 7, the Vatican said on Monday, setting up a key moment that will help decide the future of the Roman Catholic Church after the death of Pope Francis last week at the age of 88.

The vote will help decide the direction of the church, with some contenders seen as likely to build on Francis’ pastoral approach and others representing a return to a more traditional style.

Scores of cardinals have been gathering since the pope’s death to decide on logistical details about the pope’s mourning, to discuss major issues facing the church and to pick a date when cardinal-electors will meet in the Sistine Chapel to vote for Francis’ successor.

Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the secret ballot. Out of the 252 current cardinals, most appointed by Francis, about 130 can vote. A two-thirds majority is needed to elect a new pope, and cardinals are not allowed to leave the conclave until a successor is named, except in rare cases.

Generally, a conclave must begin 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death; this one will start 16 days after Francis died. In the last conclave, in 2013, Francis was elected in two days.

The word “conclave” — from the Latin “with key” — refers to the isolation imposed on them, which is meant to keep the electoral process from dragging on. The cardinals will stay in Casa Santa Marta, which was built on John Paul II’s orders to replace the improvised rooming arrangements in the papal palace that had previously housed them.

During the conclave, onlookers watch a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel to learn if a new pope has been elected. If, after a vote, a two-thirds consensus has not been reached, black smoke is emitted. When a pope has been chosen, the smoke is white.