The cardinals of the Catholic Church gathered for their ninth closed-door meeting at the Vatican on Saturday, continuing a series of near-daily sessions ahead of the election of a new pope.
These “general congregations” provide an opportunity for the cardinals to deliberate on the issues the next pontiff will encounter before they enter the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday for the secret ballot.
As they made their way through crowds of pilgrims and media for the morning meeting, the “Princes of the Church” remained tight-lipped — avoiding even estimates on how long the conclave might last.
“We do not know, we just wait for the Lord to tell us,” said Cardinal William Seng Chye Goh, Archbishop of Singapore, regarded as one of the more conservative members.
Cardinals from across the globe were summoned to Rome following the April 21 passing of Pope Francis, a dynamic reformer from Argentina who served as head of the Catholic Church for 12 years.
On Wednesday, 133 cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel and remain inside until one of them secures a two-thirds majority, officially becoming Francis’ successor.
“We recognise his achievement but no pope is perfect, no one is able to do everything so we will find the best person to succeed St Peter,” Goh told reporters.
Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, Archbishop of Algiers, expressed hope that the conclave would select a pope who would continue in the progressive path of Francis.
“We must discover the one the Lord has already chosen,” he said.
“We could have had much more time praying together, but I am sure that at the right moment we will be ready and we will give the Church the pope that the Lord has wanted.”
The papal election has drawn attention from the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, and even caught the eye of at least one prominent non-Catholic. On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump shared a doctored image of himself in papal robes on his Truth Social platform after jokingly suggesting he would enjoy holding the position.(AFP)
What you should know
Following the death of Pope Francis, the Church’s 133 cardinals are preparing to elect a new leader in a historic conclave at the Vatican.
The decision will shape the direction of the Catholic Church and is being watched closely by millions across the globe.
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