Conclave to elect new pope on May 7

Only 135 of Church’s 252 cardinals are eligible to vote

- 

Catholic cardinals will meet on May 7 to start voting for a new pope, the Vatican announced yesterday, a week after the death of Pope Francis.

So-called “Princes of the Church” under the age of 80 will meet in the Sistine Chapel to choose a new religious leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

The date was decided at a meeting of cardinals of all ages early yesterday, two days after the funeral of Francis, who died on April 21, aged 88.

The Church’s 252 cardinals were called back to Rome after the pope’s death, although only 135 are eligible to vote.