Cardinals begin process at Vatican to elect successor to Pope Francis

2025-05-07 08:32:33Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Cardinals begin process at Vatican to elect successor to Pope Francis
Illustrative photo

One of the most solemn and secret moments of the Catholic Church has begun in the Vatican: the election of the new Pope.

More than 130 cardinals from 70 countries have gathered to take part in the most diverse conclave in the religion's 2,000-year history. The process, shrouded in mystery and strict rules, aims to choose the successor to Pope Francis.

The Cardinals have isolated themselves from the outside world, handing over their phones and cutting off all communication, so that the decision can be made with complete concentration.

Of the 133 voting cardinals, 108 were appointed by Francis himself, many of whom come from countries that have not previously had representation at this level, such as Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga.

The inclusion of new and young figures, many of whom are from the "global south", has brought a new dynamic to this process.

Some cardinals expressed concerns about the lack of time to get to know each other, raising questions about the length of the votes and how quickly the necessary consensus – two-thirds of the votes, or 89 in total – can be reached to elect the Catholic Church's 267th Pope.


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