Vatican News

If the Holy Spirit is inspiring them, why do the cardinals need more than one ballot to elect a pope?

The 133 cardinals who entered the conclave failed to reach a two-thirds supermajority of at least 89 votes to elect a new pope during their morning session May 8.

As expected, the 133 cardinals who entered the Sistine Chapel May 7 failed to elect the next pope on their first ballot.

As members of the College of Cardinals joined together in solemn reverence for the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff at St. Peter’s Basilica this morning, a resounding clash of thunder tore through the Roman sky, shattering the mystical silence that enveloped crowds and symbolically igniting the conclave’s official start with lively anticipation.

As Catholics worldwide turn their attention to the impending conclave as the Church seeks to elect its 267th pontiff, one curious group of onlookers in particular is keeping a close watch.

In Rome, the conclave is the talk of the town: from speculation over a morning espresso about who will be the next pope to taxi drivers complaining about how roadblocks have made their work even more difficult.

With less than 48 hours until the beginning of the conclave, the cardinals who will enter the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope discussed war, the need for dialogue and the role of the pope in fostering it.

As members of the College of Cardinals met May 5, all 133 cardinals who plan to enter the conclave to elect a new pope had arrived in Rome, the Vatican press office said.

The Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Sistine Chapel usually top the "must see" list of visitors to Rome and the Vatican.

In the heart of Vatican City, the usually quiet Casa Santa Marta is abuzz with workers, engineers, and Vatican officials transforming the guesthouse that was the residence of Pope Francis into a secure, secluded place of lodging that would put Fort Knox to shame.