Conclave

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been chosen by the 133 cardinal electors to guide the Church following the passing of Pope Francis April 21. He will assume the name Pope Leo XIV.

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.

At Mass before the conclave that will elect the next pope, the dean of the College of Cardinals urged his brothers to choose the shepherd the church and all of humanity need "at this difficult and complex and tormented" turning point in history.

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.

The Vatican's approach to security protocols for the papal conclave "sets a gold standard for organizations handling sensitive decisions," security expert and author Theresa Payton told OSV News.

As the conclave to elect the 267th successor of St. Peter approaches, Canada's bishops urge the faithful to join the cardinals in prayer that they may be able to hear God’s voice and discern His will.