All the cardinals who will elect the new pope have arrived in Rome
All cardinals who will take part in the conclave – the election of a new Pope – have arrived in Rome, the Holy See's information portal Vatican News reported.
The tenth general assembly of cardinals took place in the Vatican on Monday, May 5, as part of preparations for the election of a new pontiff. The event was attended by 179 cardinals – 132 of whom will participate in the conclave.
Meanwhile, all 133 dignitaries who will elect the new Pope have already arrived in Rome.
"Regarding the figure of the new Pope, numerous speakers expect a shepherd close to the people, who will care for communion, rallying everyone around Christ at a time when the world order is in crisis," Vatican News reports from the gathering.
The cardinals will reside in the Casa Santa Marta, adjacent to St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The clergy will begin moving in on Tuesday.
Vatican Press Secretary Matteo Bruni said preparations for the Sistine Chapel, where the conclave will traditionally take place, are almost complete. The chapel has already been secured, and journalists will not be allowed into the building.
If they wish, the cardinals will be able to travel to the voting site on foot, but along a clearly defined, secure route. The perimeter of the dignitaries' movement will be sealed.
Voters are encouraged to leave their mobile devices at home, as both the Casa Santa Marta and the Sistine Chapel will be without cell service.
- Pope Francis died on the morning of Monday, April 21. Almost a month earlier, the pope had been discharged from hospital after a difficult treatment for bilateral pneumonia. He was the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church and had held the post since March 13, 2013. The Vatican said the pontiff died of a stroke and irreversible cardiovascular collapse.
- After the full-scale invasion of Russia, the pope became famous for his controversial statements about the war: in particular, he called Ukrainians and Russians "cousins" who "should get along." He also criticized the ban on the Moscow Patriarchate. During his Easter speech on April 20, Francis spoke out in favor of peace
in Ukraine, but at the same time did not mention Russia and its aggression. - On April 26, the Pope's funeral ceremony began in the Vatican: the funeral mass for the pontiff lasted an hour and a half. Many world leaders arrived at the ceremony, in particular, before the funeral, Presidents Zelenskyy and Trump met for the first time since the dispute at the White House.
