Overview

• The conclave officially commenced on May 7 with a solemn Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, led by Cardinal Dean Giovanni Battista Re.
• Cardinal electors have been sealed off in Vatican City, surrendering electronic devices and residing at Casa Santa Marta to ensure confidentiality during the process.
• The first voting round is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, with no immediate expectation of a decision or white smoke from the Sistine Chapel.
• Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Cardinal Secretary of State, is widely regarded as the frontrunner among a diverse field of over two dozen candidates.
• The cardinals issued a peace appeal before the conclave, urging global ceasefires and reflecting the Church’s humanitarian mission.