After that unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience of being a participant in a Conclave with 132 other brother cardinals from all over the world, I understood why the election of a pope should take place nowhere else but in the Sistine Chapel.
The first day of the conclave to elect the 267th Pope concluded without success, as black smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney at 9:00 p.m. on May 8, Wednesday, indicating no candidate received the required two-thirds majority vote.
No Pope was elected on the first day of the conclave to choose the 267th successor of St. Peter. Black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney at 9:00 p.m. on May 7, Wednesday, signaling that the initial round of voting had concluded without a successful result.
In a deeply prayerful moment for the Catholic Church, Cardinal electors gathered this morning at 10:00 a.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica to celebrate the Missa pro eligendo Romano Pontifice—the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff—just hours before the Conclave to elect the 267th Successor of St. Peter begins.
As the universal Church entered a period of solemn anticipation, the Catholic Bishops of India gathered in Bangalore to offer a Holy Mass for the election of the new Pope.
In a pivotal gathering ahead of the papal conclave, the twelfth and final General Congregation of Cardinals convened on Tuesday May 6 at 9:00 AM in the Vatican.
In a solemn act of preparation for the much-anticipated Conclave, Vatican officials formally sealed the entrances to the Apostolic Palace on the evening of May 6, signaling the Church’s readiness to enter a sacred time of discernment and decision.
As the Catholic Church prepares for the start of the Conclave on Wednesday, May 7, the Holy See Press Office has released detailed media access guidelines for journalists and broadcast teams covering the historic event in St. Peter’s Square.
As the world turns its gaze toward the Vatican in anticipation of the election of the 267th successor of St. Peter, a centuries-old chapel—modest in size but boundless in spiritual power—once again takes center stage.
In a monumental moment for Papua New Guinea (PNG), history will be made as Cardinal Sir John Ribal MSC prepares to take part in the next Papal Conclave starting 7 May 2025—the solemn and secretive process by which the Catholic Church elects a new Pope.
Preparations for the upcoming papal conclave are underway in the Vatican, as workers have installed the iconic chimney atop the Sistine Chapel—the most recognized symbol of the election process for a new Pope on May 2.
The eighth General Congregation of Cardinals convened this morning in the Vatican, bringing together over 180 Cardinals—more than 120 of them electors—in preparation for the upcoming conclave on May 2.
The College of Cardinals, currently gathered in Rome for General Congregations ahead of the upcoming conclave, has issued a heartfelt appeal to all Catholics around the world to accompany them in prayer.
The College of Cardinals gathered for their sixth General Congregation on April 29, Tuesday morning in the New Synod Hall, where 183 cardinals were present, including over 120 cardinal electors.
The archbishop of Singapore asked the faithful to spend more time in fervent prayer as the Church prepares for the conclave that will elect Pope Francis’ successor.
The conclave to elect the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church will commence on May 7th, 2025, following the Novemdiales Masses for the eternal repose of the late Pope Francis.
As of April 2025, Asia has become a major voice in the Catholic Church, contributing 37 cardinals to the College of Cardinals—23 of whom are electors, eligible to vote in a future papal conclave.
