Watch live on Wednesday (7 May) as cardinals begin choosing a new pope in the largest ever Papa Conclave.
The Papal Conclave began with a mass in St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning. In his homily, senior cardinal Giovanni Battista Re prayed that the cardinals be enlightened to choose “the Pope our time needs”.
Soon, the 133 cardinal electors will walk to the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel where they will take a vow of secrecy.
Standing before Michelangelo’s famous vision of heaven and hell, they will swear to carry out the solemn duty of selecting a new leader of the Catholic Church. Then, the work of debating and voting on who among them could lead will begin.
Cardinals Pietro Parolin and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle are among the favourites to succeed Pope Francis, who made liberal changes to the Catholic Church during his 12-year papacy.
