Election Of New Pope : 135 Cardinals In Conclave At The Vatican

A new Pope will soon be chosen by the College of Cardinals at the Vatican. The Catholic Church’s most senior figures appointed by the pontiff will start meeting today May 7, 2025 for the voting exercise. Though there are more than 250 cardinals from more than 90 countries, only about 135 are cardinal electors (those over the age of 80 are excluded). About 110 of the cardinal electors chosen by Francis in the past 10 years largely reflect his vision of a more inclusive church. His successor could therefore be someone who continues his progressive legacy and mirrors his pastoral approach, or someone who counters it with a more conservative approach.
For the election of the 267th pontiff, there are at least three African cardinals among those currently cited as “papabile,” the term used by Vatican observers to describe possible contenders to lead the Catholic Church. The three African are, Cardinals Robert Sarah of Guinea, Peter Turkson of Ghana and Fridolin Ambongo of Congo. They are seen as holding orthodox views on some of the hot-button issues that the Catholic Church is grappling with, reflecting wider social conservatism on the continent of 1.3 billion people. If any of them is elected, he would be the first African Pope in more than 1,500 years and the first ever from sub-Saharan Africa. 
Before the vote, cardinals swear an oath of absolute secrecy, and are permitted no contact with the outside world for the duration of the election process. Their phones are removed, and no newspapers, television, letters or messages are allowed. The chapel is also swept for listening devices before and during the conclave. The cardinals’ vote by secret ballot, processing ...