Vatican News

All but four of the 135 cardinals who are eligible to enter the conclave May 7 to vote for a new pope had arrived in Rome by May 2, according to the Vatican press office.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state since early in the pontificate of Pope Francis, has long been near the top of pundits' lists of potential successors to the Argentine pope.

St. John Paul II had the Domus Sanctae Marthae built primarily to house cardinals in simple comfort during a conclave.

The College of Cardinals confirmed that 135 members are eligible to participate in the conclave, the Vatican announced, and they asked the faithful to accompany them in prayer as they prepare to elect the next pope.

The conclave to elect a new pope, scheduled to begin May 7, is governed by two texts: a rule book and a prayer book.

One by one, placing a right hand on the Book of Gospels, staff driving, cooking, cleaning and caring for the cardinals who will elect a new pope will swear an oath of perpetual secrecy about the election of the 267th successor of St. Peter.

Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who lost the rights associated with being a cardinal after Pope Francis asked him to resign in 2020, said he would obey the late pope's wishes and not seek to enter the conclave May 7.

The conclave that begins May 7 is expected to be the largest in history, with a wide geographical mix of cardinal-electors.

Members of the College of Cardinals had a chance to take a quick bus tour through Rome on their way to visit the tomb of Pope Francis, who wanted to be buried in a Marian basilica three and a half miles from the Vatican.

The English translation of the prepared text of the homily, delivered in Italian by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican April 26, 2025.