Rolling in for the papal face-off
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- Papal Election
- Vatican
- Rome
- Pope Francis
Participants have convened for the selection of a new pope - Participating in the Pontiff Selection Process
Stepping foot in the epicenter of religious history, Pope Francis made his grand entrance on the fateful day, May 7, 2025 - the day the 2025 conclave commenced, with the aim of electing the 267th pope, right in the heart of Vatican City.
As the clock struck 10 a.m., a somber Mass known as Missa pro eligendo Romano Pontifice resonated in the hallowed halls of St. Peter’s Basilica, presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals.
By the afternoon, at approximately 3:45 p.m., the 133 cardinal-electors - including Pope Francis in his previous role as a cardinal - gathered in the Pauline Chapel, before parading in reverse order of precedence, decked in their finest regalia, into the legendary Sistine Chapel. Led by the cardinal deacons, followed by priests, bishops, and finally the Master of Ceremonies, they solemnly chanted the "Litany of the Saints" and the hymn "Veni Creator Spiritus," summoning the Holy Spirit to guide their decision-making process.
This ritualistic spectacle marked the official initiation of the conclave, ensconced within the Sistine Chapel under Michelangelo’s breathtaking frescoes. The walls that bore witness to history echoed with the weight of tradition, as the cardinals embarked on their quest to elect the next spiritual leader of the Catholic world.
Pope Francis, who was a cardinal at the time, joined the other 132 cardinal-electors in the Pauline Chapel and subsequently paraded into the Sistine Chapel, marking the beginning of the 2025 papal election.
Each cardinal, donned in their finest regalia, chanted the "Litany of the Saints" and the hymn "Veni Creator Spiritus" as they solemnly walked into the legendary Sistine Chapel where Michelangelo's frescoes bore witness to history.
Following a somber Mass known as Missa pro eligendo Romano Pontifice, Pope Francis made his grand entrance in the bustling Vatican City on May 7, 2025, with the goal of electing the 267th pope.
Once inside St. Peter’s Basilica, the clock struck 10 a.m., signaling the start of the papal election process under the watchful eye of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals.
