After the Death of Pope Francis: Conclave Begins on May 7

This was announced by Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni on Monday in the Vatican. The date was set during a general congregation of the cardinals in the Vatican, the first since the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday.

Over 180 cardinals participated in the fifth general congregation, including about 100 papal electors, reported Bruni. The names of the three cardinals who will support the Camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, during the conclave were drawn: they are the German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle, and the Frenchman Dominique Mamberti. The cardinals discussed on Monday the challenges facing the new pope and the universal church, reported Bruni.

Pope's Death: 135 Cardinals are Eligible to Participate in the Conclave

The Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who fell from grace with the late Pope Francis due to a financial scandal, intends to participate in the conclave for the election of the new pontiff. Although the case was discussed at the general congregation, no decision was made in this regard, Bruni stated.

135 cardinals, all under 80 years old and from all over the world, are eligible to participate in the conclave and decide who will become the next head of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church. The last two conclaves, which took place in 2005 and 2013, each lasted only about two days.

More than 70,000 faithful have already visited the tomb of Pope Francis in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the police in Rome reported. The deceased pontiff was buried there on Saturday. To manage the increased influx, a fence was organized around the entire basilica.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.