With the body of late Pope Francis, the fallen Catholic pontiff finally interred in the Vatican at a ceremony that attracted world leaders , reigning monarchs and an estimated 400,000 people on Saturday, attention is now focused on the conclave, the secretive meeting of cardinals where the new head of the Catholic Church will be chosen.
As a step towards this, cardinals will on Monday at 9am hold their fifth general meeting since the pope’s death, at which they are expected to pick a date for the conclave.
In their customary manner, the meeting is to be held behind locked doors in the frescoed Sistine Chapel.
Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich had said last week he expected the conclave to take place on May 5 or 6 — shortly after the nine days of papal mourning, which ends on May 4.
During this much awaited period of anxiety for Catholics and even Non-Catholics, Cardinal-electors will cast four votes per day until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority.
It is only when this happens that a result will be broadcast to the waiting world by burning papers that emit white smoke.
The crowds that attended the pontiff’s funeral were a testament to his popularity as he was seen as an energetic reformer who stood for the poorest and most vulnerable and there are indications that such people are anxious to see the emergence of another reformer.
In his homily at the funeral, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re highlighted the Jesuit pope’s defence of migrants, relentless calls for peace and belief that the Church was a “home for all”.
“I hope we get another pope as skilled as Francis at speaking to people’s hearts, at being close to every person, no matter who they are,” 53-year-old Maria Simoni from Rome said.
However, it must be pointed out that some of the changes introduced by Pope Francis triggered anger among many conservative Catholics and many of them are hoping the next pope will turn the focus back to doctrine.
Some cardinals on their own, have admitted the weight of the responsibility that faces them in choosing a new Leader of the over 1.4 billion Catholics in the globe.
Recall, Pope Francis was buried in an alcove of the church, becoming the first pope in more than a century to be interred outside the Vatican.
