Conclave live: Who will be the next Pope? First vote to elect new leader of Catholic Church underway with cardinals locked inside Sistine Chapel

Here’s our livestream from the Vatican as the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis gets underway

This conclave is predicted to be more unpredictable than ever before, with a key question being whether the role could possibly be handed back to an Italian, the first since John Paul I nearly 50 years ago.

Three of the main contenders who could replace Pope Francis are as follows:

• Pietro Parolin, 70. Italian

Serving as the Vatican’s secretary of state since 2013, Cardinal Parolin is a well-known figure in the Vatican and is widely considered the frontrunner for the position.

He was involved in the 2018 landmark deal that allowed both the government and church to jointly appoint bishops and has also previously condemend the legislation of same-sex marraige as a ‘defeat for humanity’.

• Matteo Zuppi, 69. Italian

Currently the archbishop of Bologna, Cardinal Zuppi was known for having a close relationship with Pope Francis and having little emphasis on traditional protocol.

Francis even appointed him as the papal envoy for the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while he also wrote the introduction of a book that focused on the church’s need to help improve its relationship with the LGBTQ+ community.

If elected, Cardinal Tagle would be the first ever pope from Asia, having headed the Vatican’s Caritas Internationalis from 2015 and 2022 before permanently relocating to Rome.

However, in 2022, Francis expeld the Caritas management following an external investigation that the Holy See said had uncovered ‘real deficiencies’ in management.

The Cardinals will not be allowed any communication with the outside world until the new pope is elected, with a two-thirds majority required.

This afternoon, there will be one round of voting. In the instance that a decision cannot be made, the cardinals will vote up to four times every day afterwards and will be housed at a guesthouse, Casa Santa Marta, inside the Vatican’s grounds.

There will be two ballots in the morning and two in the afternoon every day until a new pope is elected.

The duration of the vote can vary, with the longest historical conclave lasting nearly three years between 1268 and 1271.

The first smoke signal, alerting us to the end of a voting round, is expected at around 7pm local time.

Black smoke signifies that no pope has been chosen, while white smoke means that a new pope has been successfully elected.

Cardinals from all over the world began voting Wednesday to elect a new pope – but what’s the cost of finding a new leader for the Catholic Church?

The Holy See has not disclosed how much the conclave will weigh on its shaky finances. But arranging it is understood to be an expensive affair, running into the millions of euros.

More than 200 cardinals with assistants in tow have been flown in from across the globe, housed, fed and laundered for days following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.

On Wednesday afternoon some 133 of them – those aged under 80 – began voting for a new pope under Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, which has been fitted out to hold the gathering.

So has St Peter’s Square, where thousands of faithful and curious tourists are expected to watch for the white smoke that signals to the world the election of a new pope.

As per the 1929 deal that created the Vatican City State, Italy foots the bill for security costs.

During the last conclave in 2013, security, increased public transport and other related expenses came to 4.5 million euros (£3.8 million), according to then Rome mayor Gianni Alemanno.

This year, the hard-right government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made available an initial five million euros after Francis’s death but total costs are yet to be quantified, said civil protection minister Nello Musumeci.

The conclave to elect a new pope has officially begun, with a Vatican official calling out ‘extra omnes’ and the door to the Sistine Chapel shutting.

The Latin expression means ‘all out’ and signals all those who aren’t eligible to vote for a new pope to leave the Sistine Chapel.

The order, delivered Wednesday by Archbishop Diego Ravelli allows the beginning of voting to elect the 267th pope to follow Pope Francis, history’s first Latin American pontiff.

The Vatican cameras have now departed from the Sistine Chapel.

by Nick Pisa in the Vatican

Among the 133 cardinals swearing the oath was the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Liverpool born Vincent Nichols.

He was joined by cardinal Timothy Radcliffe and cardinal Arthur Roche, who were some of the last to swear.

As the master of ceremonies shouted “Extra Omnes” (All out) a small ripple of applause broke out among the crowd that had gathered in front of St Peter’s.

The Cardinals will now begin their deliberations with the first smoke signal expected at around 7pm local time.

Whoever is elected the new Pope will face a number of challenges in their papacy.

Above all the new leader will have to decide whether to continue and consolidate Francis’ progressive legacy on promoting women, LGBTQ+ acceptance, the environment and migrants, or roll it back to try to unify a church that became more polarised during his pontificate.

Since Francis chose 80 per cent of the voters, continuity is likely but there have been calls for a Conservative cardinal to step in.

Here’s our current top story on MailOnline

Catholic cardinals have entered the Sistine Chapel where they will sequester themselves for the centuries-old ritual of conclave, a secretive vote to elect the 267th pontiff following the death of Pope Francis.

Hailing from 70 different countries, the geographically diverse group chanted the meditative ‘Litany of the Saints’ and the Latin hymn ‘Veni Creator,’ as they walked in, imploring the saints and the Holy Spirit to help them pick a pope.

A line of Swiss Guards stood at attention as the cardinals then took their turn to bow at the altar.

Once inside, they will pledge to maintain secrecy about what’s about to transpire and to not allow any interference from outsiders to influence their voting.

Watch the moment more than 130 red-robed cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel for the papal conclave as they prepare to lock themselves away from the world.

The cardinals will vote for the first time to elect a new pope this afternoon in the highly secretive and ancient ritual.

Their mobile phones are surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican are jammed to prevent all communications until they find a new leader.

Cardinals electing a new pope began taking an oath of secrecy in the Sistine Chapel before being locked into the conclave, according to a live video feed from the Vatican.

After reciting together the oath in Latin, each of the 133 ‘Princes of the Church’ are advancing to the altar to take his personal vow, his hand on the Bible.

Once they’re finished the doors will close and the conclave gets underway.

Those hoping to witness the election of the next pope from St. Peter’s Square must first pass through security checks.

As the conclave began, lines were forming at metal detectors at the square’s entrances.

Once a new pope is elected, he’ll appear on the balcony above the square to be introduced to the world.

For now, the checks remain relatively quick, but wait times are expected to grow once the white smoke appears.

Italy’s Civil Protection agency estimates that up to 250,000 people could flood the square and Via della Conciliazione, the wide boulevard that leads from the Vatican to the Tiber River, to welcome the new pontiff.

Vatican Media has released some images of inside the Sistine Chapel as cardinals prepare for the papal conclave to elect a new Pope.

Red-robed cardinals entered the chapel following a procession from Pauline Chapel where they had assembled for final prayers.

Meanwhile, large crowds have gathered in St Peter’s Square to watch events unfold on the big screen

Now inside the chapel, the cardinals are standing before Michelangelo’s vision of heaven and hell in ‘The Last Judgment’.

Each cardinal is placing their hand on the Gospel and is swearing to carry out their duty as of a swearing ceremony before the voting can begin.

The awesomeness of the chapel’s frescoes, and Michelangelo’s in particular, is meant to remind the cardinals of the weighty responsibility they bear.

Two by two, the cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel chanting the meditative ‘Litany of the Saints’ as Swiss Guards stood at attention.

The hymn implores the saints to help the cardinals find a new leader of the Catholic Church.

They bowed before the altar and took their places before taking an oath of secrecy and shutting the Sistine Chapel doors to start the conclave.

Visitors watched the cardinal’s procession to the Sistine Chapel displayed on a screen, ahead of the conclave.

Large crowds have now assembled in St Peter’s Square to watch footage from Pauline Chapel as worshippers wait to learn who will succeed Pope Francis.

by Nick Pisa in the Vatican

At 4.15pm local time the cardinals began their procession into the Sistine Chapel to begin the Conclave with the Litany of the Saints prayer being chanted in Latin by the choir.

As the start of the Conclave approached and as warned earlier signal in and around the Vatican began to drop and people were seen struggling to make calls and use data on their phones.

Police also increased patrols around St Peter’s Square and a detachment of ‘drone busters’ who had been positioned for Pope Francis funeral were also back.

The 133 red-robed Catholic cardinals who will elect a new pope gathered to pray in the Vatican’s Pauline Chapel ahead of the conclave.

The cardinals will then move in procession to the Sistine Chapel a few metres away, where they will be locked in ahead of a first vote on Wednesday evening for a successor to Pope Francis.

Let’s recap what happens at the start of conclave before the cardinals lock themselves away from the rest of the world.

• 3.30pm – Cardinals will start a procession from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel where the next pope will be elected.
• 4.30pm – Everyone must leave the Sistene Chapel – the moment ‘extra omnes’ is pronounced will mark the start of conclave.
• 6pm – Results of first ballot are expected with either white smoke, confirming the result of an election, or black smoke, confirming no decision has been reached, billowing from the Sistene Chapel chimney.

While the conclave might appear an exclusively male affair, women remain excluded in the Catholic church’s upper hierarchy – they will play a crucial role in ensuring the role of choosing a new pope runs smoothly.

As the cardinals, the most geographically diverse conclave in the faith’s 2,000-year history, prepare to sequester from the outside world, they will be supported throughout by Vatican City insiders, including nuns who help with everything from accommodation to food.

From now until the moment a new leader is elected, the nuns at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, a 100-suite guesthouse in Vatican City that is housing the cardinals in the coming days, will run the tightest of ships when it comes to cooking and cleaning.

Read the full story by Femail reporter Jo Tweedy here:

Here are the latest pictures from the Vatican where Catholic worshippers are continuing to gather ahead on the first day of conclave.

We’re expecting the first vote to be held this afternoon after 133 cardinals are sealed inside the Sistine Chapel, meaning a new pope could be elected tonight.

But it is rare for white smoke to billow at the first attempt, meaning it is likely to continue into Thursday at least.

George Jacob Koovakad will close the doors of the Sistine Chapel

by Nick Pisa in the Vatican

After the shout in Latin of ‘Extra Omnes’ by master of ceremonies Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the doors of the Sistine Chapel will be closed by cardinal George Jacob Koovakad.

Cardinal Koovakad, 51, was famously pictured at Pope Francis funeral dread in white vestments among a sea of red clad colleagues with the Daily Mail headline reading:’ Someone didn’t get the memo.’

He was appointed cardinal in December 2024 by Pope Francis and the first Indian to be given the honour and he has been serving as the Vatican prefect at the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.

Cardinal Koovakad follows the Syro-Malabar church which although Catholic is more in line with eastern rites and is why he wears a white robe.

Catholic cardinals have turned to a slightly bizarre source to prepare for the papal conclave starting today – the 2024 Ralph Fiennes film Conclave.

Some of the 133 senior church officials set to cast their votes on a new pope in the Sistine Chapel have looked to Tinseltown for tips ahead of the highly complex election process.

A cleric involved in the papal conclave, convened following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, told POLITICO: ‘Some have watched it in the cinema.’

The film, directed by Edward Berger, fictionalises the papal conclave process, starring British actor Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, heading up the College of Cardinals – and the entire election procedure.

But even the clergy are not above scandal and gossip – and Conclave includes plenty of dramatic revelations, two-faced backstabbing and major fallings out.

The cleric said the film is considered even by cardinals to be an incredibly accurate representation of the conclave procedure – making it particularly useful for research purposes.

It is especially relevant seeing as so many of the 252 cardinals have never experienced a conclave before, having been appointed during the late pontiff’s stint as leader of the Catholic world.

Released just four months before the late Pope’s death, the film has proven an astonishingly prescient guide to the papal conclave process for millions across the globe too, who have suddenly found themselves gripped by all the pre-conclave Vatican scandal.

Interested in conclave but not clued up on your Latin? Have no fear, MailOnline is here to help with a glossary of phrases you may hear throughout the process to elect a new Pope.

Here are some need-to-know terms to help make sense of news in the coming hours and perhaps days:

A Latin phrase for ‘all out,’ it’s spoken by the master for papal liturgical celebrations, currently Italian Archbishop Diego Ravelli, to ask all those present except the cardinal electors to leave the Sistine Chapel to begin the voting process during the conclave.

This Latin phrase translates to ‘We have a pope’. These are the words used by the protodeacon of the College of Cardinals to announce from the gallery of St. Peter’s Basilica that a new pope has been elected. He then says the new pope’s birth name and the name he has chosen to use as pope, also in Latin

This is Latin for ‘vacant seat’, the period between the pope’s death or resignation and the election of a new one.

This Latin phrase means ‘the Lord’s whole flock.’ It’s the Vatican constitution that regulates the processes from a pope’s death until a new one is elected. St. John Paul II issued it in 1996 during his papacy, and Pope Benedict XVI twice amended it, most significantly by removing John Paul’s provision that after about 12 days of balloting a simple majority could elect a new pope rather than a two-thirds majority.

We’re now just a couple of hours away from the centuries-old ritual to elect a new Pope getting underway in the Vatican.

Conclave, the highly secretive electoral process, will see 133 cardinals from across the world come together to choose the new leader of the Catholic Church.

In case you’ve just joined us, here’s what happened today so far:

• Cardinals started the day by attending a special mass in St Peter’s Basilica where senior cardinal Giovanni Battista Re urged those voting to set aside ‘every personal consideration’ when selecting a new leader
• Battista Re asked cardinals to choose a pope whom ‘the Church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history’
• It came amid the first item of controversy to hit conclave after African cardinal John Njue claimed he ‘hadn’t been invited’ to vote in the Vatican
• Cardinals have been publishing their final social media posts as they prepare to hand over their phones and head inside the Sistine Chapel where they will be cut off from the outside world
• Vatican officials have confirmed that making or receiving phone calls will become ‘impossible’ from 3pm local time as communication signals are deactivated
• Italian media is reporting cardinal Pietro Parolin has around 50 backers while Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle were also garnering support

Stick with us for the latest updates as cardinals prepare for a procession to the Sistine Chapel with a vote expected later this afternoon.

This group of nuns are enjoying themselves with an ice cream as the Vatican marks the first day of an historic conclave.

As Catholics across the world wait to see who will be the next Pope, many have had their say on the type of leader they want in the Vatican.

The Associated Press spoke to Catholics in Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East to ask what they would like from the new pope.

Here’s what they had to say:

Nadia Makuc, 20, a junior at Princeton University in New Jersey

I’m hoping that we have a leader who can just really share the Christian message of mercy and forgiveness, as well as joy and hope. That’s something Pope Francis was really good about – spreading the joy and hope found in Christ’s resurrection.

• Christoph Rudinger, 49, an educator from Linz, Austria

I expect the pope to have open arms, to have open hands for the concerns of the people who approach him, regardless of whether they’re Catholic or not.

• Beatrice Rakoma, 64, a pensioner in Johannesburg, South Africa

It’s not about color, race or gender. Whichever pope will be elected, it has to be about the glory of God, not about being whichever cultural, race or gender background you come from.

• Carlo Caniglia, 60, a civil servant from Mantova, Italy

If the Catholic Church wants to survive in this fast-changing world, it needs to change and the pope needs to lead that way. Pope Francis did a good job regarding those topics and I want the next pope to continue that way.

• Bernard Anka, 65, a grocer and Maronite Catholic in Lebanon

The work of the new pope should be to bring back the happiness, confidence and internal peace. Christians used to go and face life without fear.

Pope Francis appears on the St Peter’s balcony for the first time as pope

When white smoke billows above the Sistine Chapel, the world will know a new pope has been elected.

The cardinal voted by his peers must first accept the role and choose a papal name.

Pope Francis, whose real name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio, chose Francis in honour of St Francis of Assisi.

The pope will then head to the room where the vestments are laid out, otherwise known as the Stanza delle Lacrime, or room of tears, as Popes have previously burst into tears once nominated.

Shortly afterwards, an an announcement will be made from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, where the new pope steps out to give his first public blessing.

The new pope will be announced with the Latin proclamation: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam!” (“I bring you tidings of great joy: We have a pope!”)

That will be immediately followed by the revelation of his baptismal name, in Latin, followed by the papal name he has chosen.

Pope John Paul II with Pope Benedict, pictured together in 2004

Nick Pisa in Vatican City

Of the 133 cardinal electors 107 were chosen by Pope Francis, 21 by Pope Benedict and five by Pope John Paul II.

Europe has 60 cardinals with 19 from Italy, there are three from the UK, central and Latin America have 21, north America has 12, Africa 15, Asia 20 and Australasia three.

The longest conclave in the last 100 years was in 1922 and took five days and concluded with the election of Pope Pius XI.

He served as Pope until his death in 1939 and was in charge when the Vatican City was created as an independent state from Italy with the Lateran Treaty.

After he died, he was buried in the Papal grotto under St Peter’s and whilst his tomb was being dug bones were uncovered which are said to be that of the first Pope, St Peter.

He used his reign to condemn both Adolf Hitler and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and also wrote a papal encyclical called ‘casti connubi’ which stressed the sanctity of marriage and prohibited Catholics from using artificial birth control and abortion.

Once elected the new Pope will also have to choose a name and top of the list is John with 21 Popes previously using the name, followed by Gregory (16) and Benedict (15) while some of the lesser ones are Stephen (9), Boniface (8) and Urban (8).

Crowds are steadily building in St Peter’s Square as conclave gets under way in the Vatican.

We’re just a couple of hours away from cardinals heading inside the Sistine Chapel where votes to elect the new pope will be taken.

We’re expecting the first vote this afternoon although it’s unlikely we’ll see white smoke, meaning a pope has been elected, billowing out tonight.

Here are the latest pictures from the Vatican:

by Nick Pisa in Vatican City

This is the moment Pope Francis’ Fisherman’s ring and seal was ‘smashed’ with mystery surrounding the timing of the ritual.

Traditionally the Camerlengo, the cardinal in temporary charge of the Vatican following the death of a Pope, in this case Irish American cardinal Kevin Farrell, usually symbolically smashes the items to ceremoniously mark the end of a Pope’s reign.

Instead a Vatican female employee, who officials rescued to name was given the task, and video was shared showing her scratching away at the ring and seal on Tuesday.

Respected Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera highlighted how it was ‘not ritual and with a certain lateness’.

They added how it was strange the items had only been destroyed at ‘the last minute’ dying the final congress or meeting of the cardinals ahead of the Conclave.

According to tradition the ring and seal is smashed at the very first meeting of cardinals following the death of a Pope and to have it done at the final one, just hours before the start of the Conclave is highly unusual.

by Nick Pisa in Vatican City

Cardinals have been making their last social media posts ahead of turning off their mobiles and handing them in.

Chilean Fernando Chomali, archbishop of Santiago, posted a video of himself washing a white shirt in the sink.

He wrote: ‘Today I will enter Conclave without my cellular phone. Only before God can you vote for who will be Pope. It’s a responsibility that overwhelms me.’

Meanwhile the cardinal of Algiers Jean-Paul Vesco chose Facebook and said:

Tonight I enter the silence of the conclave, I can’t wait… this archaic institution from the 11th century is demonstrating incredible modernity in the age of over-mediation, social media and our digital dependencies.

No more phones or internet, the windows of our rooms are sealed… We will emerge with the proclamation: “Habemus papam!” (We have a Pope) What an adventure indeed!

Also posting on Facebook was the youngest cardinal Ukranian Mykola Bycok, 45, who said: ‘While I am in the Sistine Chapel I will pray for a just peace in Ukraine.’

News that a Pope has – or hasn’t been elected – will be relayed to the world in the skies above the Sistine Chapel.

We’re talking about of course the tiny chimney, installed by firefighters just last week, on the roof of the building inside the pope’s official residence in the Vatican.

The ritual of the smoke in papal conclaves is ancient. Chemicals are used colour the smoke and there is a stove with a fan that makes the smoke more visible.

by Nick Pisa in Vatican City

Officials in the Vatican have confirmed telephone signals will be deactivated as part of the final preparations of conclave.

In a statement the governor’s office said that from 3pm local time (2pm UK time) ‘it would be impossible to make or receive’ telephone calls inside the tiny city state.

All equipment that can transmit telecommunications signals to cellular telephones with the Vatican City state will be deactivated.

They will only be switched back on once the election of a new Pope has been announced. The objective is to prevent leaking of information and possible cyber-attacks.

In 2013, following the election of Pope Francis, it was said that an American cardinal tried to call Pope Benedict, who had made history by retiring, and who was away from Rome but couldn’t reach him to tell him as his phone wouldn’t work.

by Nick Pisa in the Vatican

Italian media has reported this morning that Cardinal Pietro Parolin had around 50 backers while closely following behind support ‘in the tens’ were Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.

Vatican watchers predicted that the initial three rounds of voting would be ‘jockeying’ for position but the crucial votes would be round four and five which are scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

In another element of intrigue, the Hungarian Ambassador to the Holy See Eduard Habsburg dismissed as nonsense speculation of a pact between Pietro Parolin and cardinal Peter Erdo of Budapest.

Any speculation of a pre conclave deal…is totally false. Cardinal Erdo has engaged in no such discussion.

Some watchers had claimed cardinal Erdo, who is a traditionalist was willing to get his backers to support cardinal Parolin, in order for him to be nominated as Secretary of State and have the number two job.

Cardinals from 70 countries across five continents are voting in today’s conclave which is the largest and the most international ever.

In total, there are 252 Catholic cardinals but only 135 are eligible to vote because they are under 80.

Of those, two are not voting, meaning 133 will vote today after they were summoned to Rome following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.

Let’s take where the cardinals are in the world by continent:

• Europe: 114
• Asia: 37
• South America: 32
• Africa: 29
• North America: 28
• Central America: 8
• Oceania: 4

According to the BBC, the youngest cardinal voting today is Ukrainian-born Melbourne bishop Mykola Bychok at the age of 45.

While the cardinals are supposed to resist any ‘secular’ influences in their choice, such lobbying abounded in Rome in the days before the conclave as various groups reminded cardinals of what ordinary Catholics want in a leader.

Young Catholics. a group which includes authors, professors and research scholars in the US and elsewhere, penned an open letter reminding cardinals that there is no church without young people, women and the laity.

Conservative Catholic media slipped cardinals copies of a glossy book containing their assessments of contenders.

Survivors of clergy sexual abuse warned cardinals that they would be held accountable if they failed to find a leader who will crack down on decades of abuse and cover-up.

While Advocates for women’s ordination were sending pink smoke signals over the Vatican to demand that women be allowed to be priests.

Cardinals in recent days have offered different assessments of what they are looking for in the next pontiff.

While some have called for continuity with Francis’ vision of greater openness and reform, others have said they want to turn the clock back and embrace old traditions. Many have indicated they want a more predictable, measured pontificate.

Salvadoran Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez (pictured) said he did not think the cardinals would retreat from Francis’ vision for the Church.

‘There will not be a step backwards,’ Rosa Chavez, aged 82, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. ‘It is not possible.’

Whoever is chosen, I think it will be a pope who continues the work begun by Francis.

A record 133 cardinals from 70 countries will enter the Sistine Chapel, up from 115 from 48 nations in the last conclave in 2013 — growth that reflects Francis’ efforts to extend the reach of the Church to far-flung regions with few Catholics.

by Nick Pisa in the Vatican

The new Pope’s robes have been made by tailor Raniero Mancinelli, 86, who has been working at the Vatican for 70 years.

Three robes in small, medium and large have been sewn and are in a side room at St Peter’s Basilica ready for the new Pope to wear once elected.

He will don the white vestments as he addresses what is expected to be a crowd of 250,000 people from the balcony.

Mission accomplished, there are three sizes all ready, small, medium and large. Seven pairs of shoes are also ready and a mozzetta has also been made.

A mozzetta is a short elbow length vestments that covers the shoulders and is buttoned from the front that was also made for Pope Francis but he never wore.

Cardinals exit St Peter’s Basilica following a mass service

by Nick Pisa in Vatican City

The mass in St Peter’s has now finished and cardinals are heading back to the Santa Marta guest house for lunch and where they will have pre Conclave ‘informal’ chats.

There is speculation that that the Conclave will be over after just three rounds of voting with a result on Thursday afternoon.

Italian media continues to say that Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State and Pope Francis number 2, has around 50 votes.

Meanwhile Cardinal Paolo Romeo, Archbishop of Palermo, who at 87 is not eligible to vote has also suggested the elction process will be short.

He told Italian TV: ‘It won’t be a long Conclave, after the fifth or sixth vote a new Pope will be elected.’

The Pope is the spiritual leader the Catholic Church which has more than a billion followers across the world.

Also known as the supreme or Roman pontiff, the Pope has supreme authority in matters of faith, morals, governance and discipline.

They typically preside over major church celebrations held at St Peter’s Basilica throughout the year and are expected to meet with more than 5,000 bishops from around the world at least once every five years.

As the bishop of Rome, he is also in charge of governing and managing the Vatican.

Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe (left) and Cardinal Vincent Nichols

There are five UK and Irish cardinals but none of them are considered to be a possible contender to succeed Pope Francis.

Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols, from Liverpool, and the leader of Catholics in England and Wales, is taking part in conclave, as is Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, who is from London.

Aged 75, Cardinal Arthur Roche, from West Yorkshire and based in Rome, is the youngest of the UK and Ireland’s cardinals.

Both Cardinal Radcliffe and Cardinal Nichols appeared to rule themselves out of the running, soon after Francis’s death was announced.

Cardinal Nichols told reporters he was ‘too old, not capable’, while Cardinal Radcliffe said he believed the Holy Spirit was ‘far too wise to even think of me (as pope) for the shortest moment’.

Cardinal Sean Brady, Ireland’s only Catholic cardinal, will turn 86 this summer and so is also unable to vote because of his age, as is Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald, from Birmingham, who will turn 88 in August.

The Italian capital Rome is on high alert ahead of the conclave.

The Vatican’s Swiss Guards and Italian carabinieri and police have been mobilised as Rome and the wider world hold their breath to see who will emerge from the conclave as the next pontiff.

Earlier this morning, when cardinals attended a special pre-conclave Mass in St Peter’s Basilica, police were carrying out enhanced checks of people entering St Peter’s Square.

Over 4,000 officers have been deployed, with an anti-drone system and signal jammers to block communication between the cardinals and the outside world once they enter into their secret assembly.

‘The safety of the cardinals is a priority, but so is that of the faithful outside,’ said Fabio Ciciliano, head Italy’s Civil Protection agency.

The highly secretive rituals in a papal conclave have existed for hundreds of year.

It is understood placing cardinals in isolation away from the outside world was borne as a consequence of the longest papal election in history.

When Pope Clement IV died in 1268 it took 1,006 days, around 33 months, to elect his successor Pope Gregory X.

At the time cardinals were not cut off from the outside world leaving them open to political and religious influence.

Following his eventual election, Pope Gregory X took steps to address the issues surrounding future papal elections which included the seclusion of cardinals. He died in 1276, five years after ascending the papacy.

Firefighters install a chimney on the Sistine Chapel roof ahead of conclave

There is no limit as to how long a conclave can last when electing a new Pope.

One vote will be held on the first day of voting this afternoon with the result expected at around 6pm.

If this vote is not decisive, over the next two days, two votes will be held in the morning, and two more in the afternoon.

Both of the most recent conclaves, in 2005 to elect Pope Benedict and 2013 to elect Pope Francis lasted two days.

If a decision still has not been made after three days, a break of up to one day is permitted, allowing for prayer and discussion amongst cardinals.

But this process can continue indefinitely, until a majority is reached.

After voting sessions, the ballots are burned in a special stove.

Black smoke indicates that no pope has been elected, while white smoke indicates that the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.

Here are some pictures from the special mass held at St Peter’s Basilica this morning before cardinals head to the Sistine Chapel to vote for a new Pope.

Cardinals gathering to choose the next Pope have been urged to pick one whom ‘the Church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history’.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, made his plea during a sermon this morning at St Peter’s Basilica ahead of the start of the Conclave in the Sistine Chapel this afternoon.

The 133 cardinals – dressed in their red robes signifying the blood of Christ – will be locked away in the Sistine Chapel, decorated by Michelangelo with frescoes from the Bible, and cardinal Re reminded them of their obligation.

In his sermon Cardinal Re said:

We are here to invoke the help of the Holy spirit, to implore his light and strength so that the Pope elected may be whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history.

To pray, by invoking the Holy Spirit, is the only right and proper attitude to take, as the Cardinal electors prepare to undertake an act of the highest human and ecclesial responsibility and to make a choice of exceptional importance.

This is a human act for which every personal consideration must be set aside, keeping in mind and heart only the God of Jesus Christ and the good of the Church and of humanity.

Once inside the Sistine Chapel this afternoon, the cardinals will see Michelangelo’s vision of heaven and hell in ‘The Last judgement’ and will swear an oath on the Gospel to carry out their duty ‘so help me God and these Holy Gospels, which I touch with my hand’.

The imposing frescoes, and Michelangelo’s in particular, is meant to remind the cardinals of the weighty responsibility they bear.

In his rules for the conclave, St. John Paul II wrote that in the Sistine Chapel, ‘everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God, in whose sight each person will one day be judged.’

The conclave to elect a new Pope has been hit by a controversy after an African cardinal claimed he ‘hadn’t been invited’.

Cardinal John Njue, 79, is eligible to join the other 133 cardinals, from 70 countries, who are gathering in the Vatican for the start of the secretive process which begins this afternoon in the Sistine Chapel.

But in an interview the Kenyan clergyman suggested dark forces were at work in a scenario that could have come straight out of Ralph Fiennes papal blockbuster Conclave.

Speaking to Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation cardinal Njue said:’ Those who go there for the election are usually sent official invites, and that has not happened on my part.

‘The fact is that I have not been invited. I don’t know why I’ve been excluded, if I’m not there it’s not because I am in poor health.’

• Read the full story by Nick Pisa and Taryn Pedler here

After the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88, the world is waiting to see who will succeed him, as the Cardinals gather in Rome for the Papal Conclave.

Francis was the first Latin American Pope, so did that signal a wider change within the Catholic Church and will we now see the first black or Asian Pope?

Ross Clark reports on the top contenders to become the next Supreme Pontiff:

All 133 Catholic cardinals who will vote for a new pope arrived in Rome on Monday, before gathering at today’s conclave to elect the next head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

Hailing from 70 countries across five continents, the group – summoned following the death of Pope Francis on April 21 – is the largest and the most international ever.

The 133 so-called ‘Princes of the Church’ who will vote – all those aged under 80, minus two who are absent for health reasons – will gather this afternoon under the frescoed splendour of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican.

Voting once that day and four times a day thereafter until a pope is chosen, they will stay at the nearby Santa Marta guesthouse but are forbidden from contacting the outside world until they have made their choice.

Let’s take a look at some of the key questions ahead of today’s vote:

It refers to the secret meeting of cardinals who will gather in the Sistine Chapel to vote for the next pope.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it comes from the Latin meaning a room that can be locked with a key.

Vatican News – the news website connected to the Church in Rome – said 133 cardinals will take part in this conclave, which will begin on May 7.

The day will begin with mass attended by all voting cardinals in St Peter’s Basilica, before they enter the Sistine Chapel – and are cut off from communication with the outside world – to begin voting in the afternoon.

That is anybody’s guess. Each day, aside from the first, cardinals can vote four times – twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon.

Both of the most recent conclaves, in 2005 to elect Pope Benedict and 2013 to elect Pope Francis lasted just two days.

This conclave could have begun on May 5, but the delayed starting date of May 7 might allow the cardinals to get to know one another better and find consensus on a candidate or at least the frontrunners.

• Who is the next pope likely to be?

Technically, any baptised Catholic man could become the next pontiff, but it is highly unlikely the chosen one would be anyone other than a cardinal.

Only cardinals who were aged under 80 on the day of the pope’s death are eligible to vote but older cardinals not sitting in conclave could be elected.

While there has been much speculation as to the frontrunners, one expert described this conclave as “totally unpredictable”.

With all the pomp, drama and solemnity that the Catholic Church can muster, 133 cardinals on Wednesday begin the secretive, centuries-old ritual to elect a successor to Pope Francis, opening the most geographically diverse conclave in the faith’s 2,000-year history.

Hailing from 70 countries, the cardinals will be sequestered from the outside world, their cellphones surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican jammed to prevent them from all communications until they find a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member church.

Francis named 108 of the 133 ‘princes of the church,’ choosing many pastors in his image from far-flung countries like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga that had never had a cardinal before.

Read our preview on today’s conclave here:

Hello and welcome to MailOnline’s live coverage as the conclave to choose Pope Francis’ successor begins in Vatican City.

Once the conclave begins this afternoon, more than 130 Catholic cardinals will vote in secret sessions while locked inside the Sistine Chapel.

After voting sessions, the ballots are burned in a special stove.

Black smoke indicates that no pope has been elected, while white smoke indicates that the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church when they secure two-thirds of the vote.

Stick with us as we bring you live coverage throughout the day as the world waits to see who the next Pope will be with Nick Pisa reporting from Vatican City and Jamie Bullen in London.