DILI, 28 April 2025 (TATOLI) – The Cardinals present in the Vatican have decided to begin the papal conclave on May 7, 2025, to elect the successor of Pope Francis.
The date was approved at the Fifth General Congregation, held on Monday morning in the Vatican’s Synod Hall, the Vatican announced.
Pope Francis, who died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure on Monday, April 21, at the age of 88, was finally laid to rest on Saturday, April 26, as world leaders and hundreds of thousands of mourners descended upon the Vatican to pay their final tribute.
“The conclave will take place in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, which will remain closed to visitors during those days,” said the Vatican.
About 135 cardinals under the age of 80 from around the world, including Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, the cardinal of Timor-Leste, will take part in the election of the new head of the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
The papal conclave will begin with a solemn Eucharistic celebration, known as the votive Mass Pro Eligendo Papa (Mass for the Election of a Pope) in the morning, attended by the cardinal electors.
“In the afternoon, the Cardinal electors proceed in a solemn procession to the Sistine Chapel, where the Conclave begins to elect the new Pope. At the end of the procession inside the Sistine Chapel, each Cardinal elector takes the oath as prescribed in paragraph 53 of Universi Dominici Gregis,” the Vatican reported.
The Vatican said that, throughout the election process, the cardinal electors are not allowed to send letters or engage in conversations, including phone calls, “except in cases of extreme urgency.” “They are not allowed to send or receive messages of any kind, receive newspapers or magazines of any nature, or follow radio or television broadcasts.”
According to the Vatican, a two-thirds majority of the cardinal electors present is required to validly elect a new pope: “If the total number of electors is not evenly divisible by three, an additional vote is necessary. If voting begins on the afternoon of the first day, there will be only one ballot. On subsequent days, two ballots are held in the morning and two in the afternoon.” “After the votes are counted, all ballots are burned. If the ballot was inconclusive, a chimney positioned over the Sistine Chapel emits black smoke. If a Pope is elected, white smoke will billow out of the chimney.”
Pope Francis, who visited Timor-Leste from 9 to 11 September, 2024, was deeply loved and respected by Timorese people.
During his three-day stay in the country, Pope Francis met with some of the country’s national and religious leaders, visited vulnerable groups, and spoke to massive crowds of the faithful in Dili.
Aafter the conclusion of his Holy Mass with more than 600,000 Catholics in Taci-Tolu on September 10, 2024, Pope Francis warned Timorese Catholics to beware of external influences that could destroy their faith as Catholics: “Be careful, because I’ve been told that crocodiles are coming to some beaches. Crocodiles that come swimming and have a stronger bite than we can handle,” said Pope Francis.
TATOLI
