LOOK: Here is the schedule of activities for the 2025 papal conclave
The 2025 papal conclave officially begins on Wednesday, May 7.
Cardinals have arrived at a Vatican guest house where they will be isolated during the conclave without any contact with the outside world. They are set to choose the successor of Pope Francis, who died in late April at 88 years old.
The conclave will start on Wednesday afternoon inside the Sistine Chapel. Only cardinals under the age of 80 can vote in the election to select a new leader for the Catholic Church, which has over 1.4 billion members.
Conclaves usually last several days, with multiple rounds of voting until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority.
Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, has shared the schedule of activities for the papal conclave. Take a look at it below.
Wednesday, May 7
- 10:00 a.m. (4:00 p.m., PH time): The cardinals will attend a traditional Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff to seek divine guidance ahead of the conclave. It will take place in St. Peter's Basilica and presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals.
- At 3:45 p.m. (9:45 p.m., PH time): The cardinals—dressed in choir robes—will be transported from Casa Santa Marta to the Apostolic Palace for the official proceedings of the event.
Thursday, May 8
- 7:45 a.m. (1:45 p.m., PH time): The cardinals will go to the Apostolic Palace to begin the day's proceedings.
- 8:15 a.m. (2:15 p.m., PH time): There will be a Mass and Lauds in the Pauline Chapel, which is situated within the Vatican City's Apostolic Palace.
- 9:15 a.m. (3:15 p.m., PH time): There will be a mid-morning prayer in the Sistine Chapel, which will be followed by the first round of voting.
- Roughly after 10:30 a.m. (4:30 p.m., PH time): White smoke may appear from the Sistine Chapel chimney if a pope is elected during this vote. If no pope is elected, black smoke is expected.
- 12:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m., PH time): The cardinals will return to Santa Marta for lunch.
- 3:45 p.m. (9:45 p.m., PH time): They will go back to the Apostolic Palace.
- 4:30 p.m. (10:30 p.m., PH time): Voting will resume in the Sistine Chapel.
- After 5:30 p.m. (11:30 p.m., PH time): There could possibly be another smoke signal. If none, it could be around 7:00 p.m. (1:00 a.m., PH time).
- Conclusion of votes: Vespers, a specific liturgical service, particularly the evening prayer, will be held in the Sistine Chapel.
- 7:30 p.m. (1:30 a.m., PH time): The cardinals will return to Santa Marta.
According to CBS News, there will be two rounds of voting every day from the second day onward if no pope is elected. They will take place in the morning and the afternoon. Having no two-thirds majority vote after three days would mean a pause in the entire process, giving the cardinals some time to pray and deliberate on their options.
Want to know more about the papal conclave? Here are the answers to your frequently asked questions about it.
