when will papal conclave begin

The papal conclave to elect the successor to Pope Francis officially began on May 7, 2025. On that day, the cardinal electors entered the Sistine Chapel and began the voting process to choose the 267th pope. The conclave started with a Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff at St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by a solemn procession to the Sistine Chapel where the cardinals took an oath and commenced the secret ballot voting under Michelangelo’s frescoes.