Who elects the new Pope?
115 cardinals from 52 countries representing Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, Latin America and North America have the voting rights to elect the next Pope. Are there only 115 cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church? No, 122 cardinals attended the general congregation of cardinals at the Vatican last week after Pope John Paul II’s funeral. But Vatican rules stipulate that only cardinals younger than 80 before John Paul II’s death have the voting rights. How does the conclave begin? It begins with a Mass for the election of the Holy See that will be celebrated in the Vatican Basilica. At 4:30 pm local time (2100 IST) on April 18, the procession of cardinal electors will leave the Hall of Blessings for the Sistine Chapel. Once in the Chapel, all the cardinal electors will swear the oath. The cardinal dean will read the formula of the oath, after which each cardinal, stating his name and placing his hand on the Gospel, will pronounce the words: ‘I promise, pledge and swear.’ The cardinals
