Cardinals from around the world have moved into the Vatican’s Santa Marta guesthouse as the Church enters a period of intense prayer and secrecy ahead of the conclave to elect the successor of Pope Francis.
The Sistine Chapel, where the papal election will take place, has been prepared with rows of chairs and desks beneath Michelangelo’s iconic frescoes.
Voting begins Wednesday afternoon and will continue until one cardinal secures a two-thirds majority. Under Church law, participants are barred from sharing any details of the process, with violations punishable by excommunication.
Agence France-Presse reported that senior prelates were seen wheeling suitcases into the guesthouse on Tuesday, including British Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, who called out “bye! bye!” to onlookers.
The move signals the start of the Church’s transition into a closed-door process marked by prayer, discernment, and politics.
Pope Francis, who died on April 21, appointed around 80 percent of the 133 eligible cardinal electors. A reformist from Argentina, Francis led the Church for 12 years, focusing on clerical accountability, financial reform, and global solidarity.
But Church analysts caution that his influence may not necessarily guarantee the election of a like-minded successor. Many conservatives are hoping the next pope will return focus to traditional teachings.
Over the past two weeks, the cardinals have gathered in closed-door meetings to reflect on the Church’s direction and the kind of leadership needed. In their final session on Tuesday, they discussed Francis’s legacy, including his reforms on safeguarding and financial transparency.
“They also discussed divisions within the Church and the need for a pope to bring hope,” said Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.
The cardinals also expressed “regret” over the lack of progress in resolving global conflicts and called for “ceasefires and negotiations without preconditions,” particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine.
This conclave is the most geographically diverse in history, with representatives from nearly 70 countries across five continents. With no official candidate list and no campaigning allowed, speculation remains high.
Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, has emerged as a frontrunner, followed by Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. Other names include Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Hungarian conservative Cardinal Peter Erdo.
The conclave formally opens after a morning Mass on Wednesday. Voting is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. local time.
Once it begins, the Vatican will cut all phone signals within the city-state and prohibit the cardinals from using mobile phones. Smoke signals from the Sistine Chapel will indicate voting outcomes—black for no decision, white for a new pope.
Support staff involved in the conclave, including medics, canteen workers, and cleaning personnel, took oaths of secrecy on Monday, underscoring the confidentiality and solemnity of the election process.
