(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 04.28.2025).- Over 180 cardinals gathered at the Vatican’s Aula Nuova del Sinodo on Monday morning, April 28, to determine the launch date for the Conclave that will elect the 267th Successor of Peter. Marking their fifth General Congregation since the death of Pope Francis, the cardinals agreed to begin the Conclave on Wednesday, May 7, behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel.
The gathering was not solely procedural. Twenty interventions were heard, offering reflections on the Church’s relationship with the modern world and laying out the expectations that the next Pontiff must meet. As challenges loom—both spiritual and geopolitical—the cardinals were called to envision a shepherd capable of guiding the Church through an increasingly complex global landscape.
In preparation, three new members were elected to assist the Cardinal Camerlengo: Reinhard Marx, Luis Antonio Tagle, and Dominique Mamberti, each bringing a distinct global perspective to the days ahead. The next General Congregation is scheduled for Tuesday, April 29, featuring a meditation by Don Donato Ogliari, Abbot of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, meant to deepen the cardinals’ spiritual readiness before the critical vote.
The timeline of events adheres closely to the stipulations laid out in «Universi Dominici Gregis», the apostolic constitution issued by John Paul II and later refined by Benedict XVI. Tradition demands that the Conclave be convened between the 15th and 20th day after the papal vacancy, allowing time for Novendiales—the nine days of mourning—and for distant cardinals to arrive. This flexibility ensures that no voice is excluded from the monumental decision ahead.
Many cardinals, still making their way from the furthest corners of the world, will find lodging in the Domus Sanctae Marthae—the same residence Pope Francis once chose over the grand Apostolic Palace.
On the morning of May 7, the entire College of Cardinals will concelebrate a Mass «Pro eligendo Pontifice» at St. Peter’s Basilica, presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College. In a rare and stirring moment of unity, they will then process to the Sistine Chapel singing the ancient hymn «Veni Creator Spiritus», invoking the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
Inside the Chapel, the cardinals will swear an oath of secrecy before beginning the balloting. A two-thirds majority will be required to elect the new pope, with up to four ballots each day. Should the voting extend beyond the 33rd or 34th scrutiny, a runoff between the two leading candidates will be mandatory, though the two-thirds threshold will remain in force. Those two candidates, in an act of humility, must abstain from voting in the final round.
When the decisive moment arrives, the senior Cardinal Deacon will summon the officials and ask the newly elected: «Acceptasne electionem de te canonice factam in Summum Pontificem? — Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff? Upon a positive response, the question follows: «Quo nomine vis vocari?» — By what name shall you be called? The chosen pontifical name will soon ring across the world.
As the ballots are burned in the Chapel’s traditional stove, the faithful will eagerly watch the chimney for the telltale white smoke. Upon election, the new pope will briefly retire to the so-called «Room of Tears» to don papal vestments tailored in three sizes, a symbol of readiness for an unpredictable future.
After prayers and homage from the cardinals, the «Te Deum» will echo through the Chapel, marking the end of the Conclave. Soon after, the Senior Cardinal Deacon will step onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to pronounce the historic «Habemus Papam», introducing the new Pope who will bless the city of Rome and the world beyond with the Urbi et Orbi.
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