Catholic Church prepares for Conclave to decide Pope after Francis' death

Catholic cardinals met to prepare for a conclave to elect the next pope after Francis’ reformist papacy.

Catholic cardinals gathered on Monday for their first meeting since the funeral of Pope Francis, beginning preparations to set a date for the secret conclave that will elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

An announcement regarding the date could come around midday (1000 GMT), although officials confirmed the conclave itself is unlikely to start before May 6.

The Sistine Chapel, where the conclave traditionally takes place, was closed to tourists on Monday to allow preparations for the sealed voting process.

Unlike the previous two conclaves, which each lasted only two days in 2005 and 2013, this election could take longer.

Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius noted that many of the approximately 135 cardinals under the age of 80 who are eligible to vote have never met one another, owing to Francis’ efforts to broaden the Church’s global reach.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Vatican News (@vaticannews)

"We don't know each other," Arborelius said, referencing Francis’ focus on appointing cardinals from regions historically underrepresented in the Vatican, including Myanmar, Haiti, and Rwanda.

Pope Francis, who led the Church from 2013 until his death aged 88 on April 21, was buried on Saturday after a funeral and procession through Rome that drew more than 400,000 mourners.

German Cardinal Walter Kasper, speaking to La Repubblica newspaper, said the scale of public mourning reflected a widespread desire among Catholics for the next pope to continue Francis' reformist legacy.

"The People of God voted with their feet," Kasper said. "I am convinced that we must go ahead in the footsteps of Francis."

However, the forthcoming conclave is expected to expose tensions within the Church. A bloc of conservative cardinals is likely to advocate for a return to traditional doctrine and seek a successor who would restrict Francis’ vision of a more inclusive Church.

The election of the next pope will be closely watched worldwide as the Church considers whether to maintain the course set by its first Latin American leader or chart a more traditional path.