Asked to respond to the criticism, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that, “President Trump flew to Italy to pay his respects for Pope Francis and attend his funeral, and he has been a staunch champion for Catholics and religious liberty.”

DiNardo is one of 135 eligible cardinals who will make the selection behind closed doors. It will be his second conclave, after participating in the election of Pope Francis in 2013. The Conclave begins on May 7,

The 2025 papal conclave will be the largest in Catholic Church history, with 133 cardinals set to elect the successor to Pope Francis. Surpassing the previous record of 115 electors in 2013, this unprecedented gathering breaks past limits set by St.

Conclave,” the movie, may have introduced movie-goers to the spectacular ritual and drama of a modern conclave, but the periodic voting to elect a new pope has been going on for centuries and created a whole genre of historical trivia.

Vatican workers have installed the simple stove in the Sistine Chapel where ballots will be burned during the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope

On Friday morning, May 2, Vatican workers were seen hoisting a chimney onto the roof at the Sistine Chapel, according to photos and video taken by Reuters. The chimney will soon be used to display the smoke from burnt ballots during the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor.