Pope Francis's death at the age of 88 means the Catholic Church must choose a new leader. Here's how cardinals elect the next pontiff at the conclave.

Simply put, a conclave is the assembly of cardinals that elects a pope. The word itself comes from the Latin "com" and "clavis," meaning "together" and "key," respectively – highlighting the absolute, ...

In a process dating to medieval times, the cardinals will file into the Vatican's frescoed Sistine Chapel after a public Mass in St. Peter's Basilica and start their secret conclave for a successor to ...

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Catholic cardinal electors from six continents gathered Wednesday inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican for the 2025 conclave to select a new pope. After the first round of voting, black smoke ...

With its 10 cardinals representing, the United States has the second-most of any nation behind Italy, home to 17 of the electors who gathering for the Vatican conclave. Dolan, 75, has been ...

The first ballot will be cast Wednesday evening (Vatican time), May 7, according to Vatican News. Voting will then happen four times daily over the following days, twice in the morning and twice in ...

Catholic cardinals gather and sequester themselves in the Vatican for the start of a conclave to elect a new pope.

The same goes for every person inside the Vatican during the conclave: from the two doctors on hand for any emergency, to the dining-room staff who feed the cardinals. All vow to observe "absolute and ...

Faithful watch a giant screen showing images of cardinals entering the conclave, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)(Andrew Medichini / AP ...

Pope Leo XIV has reinstated the “conclave bonus” given to Vatican employees for their service during the sede vacante period.

Automatic excommunication. The oath-taking is being held in the Pauline Chapel at the Vatican for all those assigned to the upcoming conclave. They include clerics in support roles, including ...