By Ollus Ndomu
The College of Cardinals held their sixth General Congregation on Tuesday morning at the Vatican, continuing intense discussions on the future direction of the Catholic Church ahead of next week’s papal conclave.
According to the Vatican Press Office, 183 cardinals were present, including over 120 electors eligible to vote for the next pope. Around 20 cardinals addressed the gathering, offering reflections on the Church’s challenges from regional and global perspectives.
The cardinals also extended their “heartfelt gratitude to the civil authorities who welcomed thousands of pilgrims to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis,” the Holy See said in an official communiqué.
The conclave to elect the 267th pope will begin on May 7, following the precedent set during the 2013 conclave. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff (Pro Eligendo Papa) at 10:00 a.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica.
At 4:30 p.m. the same day, the cardinal electors will gather in the Pauline Chapel for a prayer service. They will then process into the Sistine Chapel, chanting the Veni Creator Spiritus and invoking divine guidance in their solemn task.
Once inside, each elector will take the oath of secrecy and commit to faithfully fulfilling the Petrine Ministry if elected. “They will make their solemn oath to fulfill the Munus Petrinum and to maintain absolute secrecy regarding the proceedings,” the Vatican said.
The conclave follows the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88 after more than a decade of papal service marked by humility, reform, and advocacy for the marginalized.
The Church now turns to its global leadership to select a successor who will inherit a complex spiritual and political legacy amid shifting dynamics within and outside the Catholic world.
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