Vatican says conclave to elect new pope to begin on May 7

The Vatican has announced that a conclave to elect the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church after the death of Pope Francis will begin on May 7. The Vatican on Monday closed the Sistine Chapel, where voting will take place, to begin preparations. This year’s conclave marks a notable increase in participation compared with previous ones after 115 cardinals took part in the 2005 and 2013 elections. A two-thirds majority is traditionally required to elect a new pope, and voting continues until this threshold is met. Black smoke signals that no decision has been made while white smoke means a new pope has been elected.