Conclave in the Vatican: All Cardinal Electors Have Arrived in Rome

All 133 cardinals eligible to vote in the upcoming conclave have arrived in Rome. A total of 180 cardinals attended the synodal meeting on Monday, including 132 future electors. One more cardinal elector is in the city but did not take part in the discussions. This was reported by Reuters.

Two cardinals — one from Spain and one from Kenya — will not participate in the conclave due to health reasons.

The conclave to elect the successor to Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, will begin behind closed doors in the Sistine Chapel on May 7. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote. During the conclave, they will stay in Vatican guesthouses and remain completely isolated from the outside world.

Among the leading candidates for the papacy are Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.

It is worth noting that the cardinal electors have not yet reached a consensus on the next head of the Roman Catholic Church. No preliminary agreement was reached during the preparatory meetings on the matter.