Pope Leo XIV delivered his first public homily as pope during a Mass with the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on May 9.
Pope Leo XIV delivered his first public homily as pope during a Mass with the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on May 9.
Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated Mass on May 7 at the Immaculate Conception Center in Douglaston to celebrate the start of the conclave in Rome that will lead to the election of a new pope.
In the heart of Vatican City, the usually quiet Casa Santa Marta is abuzz with workers, engineers, and Vatican officials transforming the guesthouse that was the residence of Pope Francis into a secure, secluded place of lodging that would put Fort Knox to shame.
The College of Cardinals confirmed that 135 members are eligible to participate in the conclave, the Vatican announced, and they asked the faithful to accompany them in prayer as they prepare to elect the next pope.
One by one, placing a right hand on the Book of Gospels, staff driving, cooking, cleaning and caring for the cardinals who will elect a new pope will swear an oath of perpetual secrecy about the election of the 267th successor of St. Peter.
The conclave that begins May 7 is expected to be the largest in history, with a wide geographical mix of cardinal-electors.
The cardinals who enter the Sistine Chapel May 7 to elect a new pope use smoke signals to communicate with the outside world.
Members of the College of Cardinals had a chance to take a quick bus tour through Rome on their way to visit the tomb of Pope Francis, who wanted to be buried in a Marian basilica three and a half miles from the Vatican.
The news media, blogs, pundits and people on the street all seem to have their favorite candidate or a list of “probable” next popes, but the College of Cardinals as a whole does not.
The 135 cardinals eligible to elect the next pope will enter the Sistine Chapel to begin the conclave May 7, the Vatican announced.