One hundred thirty three (133) cardinals will gather again on Thursday under the vaulted ceilings of the Sistine Chapel, where they’ll cast their second set of ballots to make one among them the next Head of the Catholic Church, which has more than one (1) billion members worldwide.
A successful candidate to succeed Pope Francis will require a two-thirds majority of the voting cardinals.
Pope Francis passed on Easter Monday, 21 April, 2025 at the age of eighty-eight (88).
On Wednesday 7 May, 2025, the Cardinals were unable to elect a new Pope, resulting in a plume of black smoke from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney.
White smoke means a new pope has been elected, as will the ringing of the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica.
