Catholic Cardinals has arrived Rome for conclave to elect Pope Francis successor.
NewsOnline Nigeriareports that the Vatican announced that all 133 Catholic cardinals eligible to vote for the late Pope Francis successor have arrived in Rome in preparation for this week’s conclave.
THis Nigeria news platform understands that the cardinals will convene privately in the Sistine Chapel at 4:30 pm (1430 GMT) on Wednesday.
They will continue to cast votes until a candidate secures a two-thirds majority, thereby becoming the leader of the global Catholic community, which numbers 1.4 billion.
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The conclave will officially begin on Wednesday morning with a special Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.
In the afternoon, the cardinals will process into the historic Sistine Chapel, renowned for its Michelangelo frescoes, to initiate the voting process for the next pope.
They are anticipated to conduct one vote on Wednesday afternoon, followed by two votes each on subsequent mornings and afternoons. A two-thirds majority is required for an election.
According to the rules of the conclave, if no candidate is selected after the first three days, the cardinals will observe a day of prayer before resuming their deliberations.
The only communication to the outside regarding the voting outcomes will be through a chimney above the chapel, where the ballots will be burned with a chemical additive to produce either black smoke for an inconclusive vote or white smoke to signify the election of a new pope.