College of Cardinals

As members of the College of Cardinals met May 5, all 133 cardinals who plan to enter the conclave to elect a new pope had arrived in Rome, the Vatican press office said.

All but four of the 135 cardinals who are eligible to enter the conclave May 7 to vote for a new pope had arrived in Rome by May 2, according to the Vatican press office.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state since early in the pontificate of Pope Francis, has long been near the top of pundits' lists of potential successors to the Argentine pope.

The College of Cardinals confirmed that 135 members are eligible to participate in the conclave, the Vatican announced, and they asked the faithful to accompany them in prayer as they prepare to elect the next pope.

After participating in the solemn procession on April 23 that moved the body of Pope Francis from his private Vatican City residence to St. Peter’s Basilica, Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop emeritus of Toronto, began walking across St. Peter’s Square towards his luncheon destination.

Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who lost the rights associated with being a cardinal after Pope Francis asked him to resign in 2020, said he would obey the late pope's wishes and not seek to enter the conclave May 7.

The conclave that begins May 7 is expected to be the largest in history, with a wide geographical mix of cardinal-electors.

At the conclusion of the official days of mourning following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 135 cardinal electors are eligible to enter pre-conclave gatherings.

Pope Francis has extended the terms of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re as dean of the College of Cardinals and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri as subdean, the Vatican press office announced.

Standing in communion alongside brother bishops from Argentina, Ecuador, Iran, Serbia and a rich assemblage of other nations, Toronto's Archbishop Francis Leo was elevated to the College of Cardinals at St. Peter’s Basilica today.