Conclave
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A conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to appoint the pope of the Catholic Church. Catholics consider the pope to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and the earthly head
The 1492 papal conclave was the first to be held in the Sistine Chapel.
Since the 2005 papal conclave, the cardinal electors reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae for the length of the conclave.
The camerlengo proclaiming a papal death
Cardinals, bishops and priests attending the funeral of Pope John Paul II
2025 conclave
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A conclave was held on 7 and 8 May 2025 to elect a new pope to succeed Francis, who had died on 21 April 2025. Of the 135 eligible cardinal electors, all but two attended. On the fourth ballot, the co
Conclave
…becomes vacant. This change eliminated the possibility of scheduling a conclave to include or exclude a cardinal who might be close to the limit. The 2025 papal conclave was the first time that more than 120 cardinal-electors participated, at 133. Originally, lay status did not bar election to the See of Rome. Bishops…
Leo XIV
Cardinals participating in the conclave stayed at Domus Sanctae Marthae.
Cardinals and bishops in the New Synod Hall (pictured in 2014), one of the venues for the general congregations
The doors of the Sistine Chapel (pictured in 2014) were shut at 5:46 p.m. on 7 May.