The cardinals of the Catholic Church recently convened for their ninth meeting in a series of near-daily discussions at the Vatican, all in preparation for the upcoming election of a new pope.
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These closed-door “general congregations” are vital for addressing the challenges the new pontiff will encounter. After their discussions, they will retreat into the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday to deliberate on their choice.
As the “Princes of the Church” navigated through gatherings of pilgrims and reporters en route to their morning meeting, they remained tight-lipped about the likely duration of the conclave. Cardinal William Seng Chye Goh, Archbishop of Singapore, and one of the more conservative figures among them, remarked, “We do not know; we just wait for the Lord to tell us.”
On Wednesday, 133 cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel, where they will remain until they successfully elect a successor to Pope Francis, requiring a two-thirds majority after a series of secret votes.
Reflecting on Francis’ legacy, Mr. Goh noted, “We recognize his achievement, but no pope is perfect. No one is able to do everything, so we will find the best person to succeed St. Peter.”
Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, the Archbishop of Algiers, expressed hope that the conclave will select a pope who embodies the progressive values championed by Francis. “We must discover the one the Lord has already chosen,” he stated. “We could have had much more time praying together, but I am sure that at the right moment, we will be ready and will provide the Church with the pope that the Lord desires.”
The papal election is capturing the attention of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, and interestingly, even some non-Catholic leaders are watching closely. Recently, former US President Donald Trump humorously shared a spoof image of himself dressed as the pope on his Truth Social platform—after joking that he would be interested in the role.
As the conclave approaches, the sense of anticipation continues to grow, highlighting not only the significance of this choice for the Catholic Church but also for its global community.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International–Monitoring.
