Cardinals Gather for Papal Conclave to Elect New Pope

Cardinals from around the world have gathered in Rome ahead of the papal conclave, where 133 cardinal electors will convene in the Sistine Chapel to select the new pope following the death of Pope Francis. The process, steeped in tradition and secrecy, involves strict measures such as thorough sweeps for electronic surveillance, signal jammers, and the surrendering of all communication devices to ensure the integrity of the vote. Support staff, from cooks to cleaners, have also taken oaths of secrecy, facing automatic excommunication if breached. Leading candidates include Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, while speculation among the public and even online games reflect diverse hopes for the next pontiff. The conclave will continue with multiple ballots cast daily until one candidate achieves a two-thirds majority, with the outcome signaled to the world by the iconic plume of smoke from the Sistine Chapel. The new pope may either continue Pope Francis’s legacy of progressive stances on issues like climate change and migration or mark a return to more traditional leadership.