The conclave to choose a new pope is about to begin

The conclave to elect a new pope in Vatican City follows the death of Pope Francis. This secretive meeting of 133 cardinals commences with a special Mass and includes rituals emphasizing total secrecy. Pilgrims and journalists gather outside the Sistine Chapel, awaiting news while cardinals discuss church issues. The conclave process is steeped in tradition, requiring cardinals to sign an oath of secrecy. Anticipation builds as the election progresses, signaled by white smoke signaling a new pope's election under Michelangelo's frescoes.

"Some of the mystery does come from the closed nature of the conclave itself," he says. "It's fascinating."

As more than a billion Catholics await the election of a new pope, all eyes will be on the Sistine Chapel, where... 133 cardinals will begin the secretive process known as a conclave."

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