The 133 cardinal electors will begin the process of choosing the new pope when the conclave begins in the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday afternoon and they cast their first vote. View on euronews

The eyes of 1.4 billion Catholics are fixed on the Vatican City as 132 cardinals started on Monday arriving in Rome to prepare to elect a new Pope.

Cardinals continued to weigh priorities for the future of the Catholic Church on Tuesday as faithful around the world await Wednesday's conclave and the appearance of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney — the traditional signal that a new pope has been elected.

All Vatican personnel involved in supporting the upcoming papal conclave will take an oath of secrecy — under penalty of automatic excommunication

Cooks and cleaners as well as maintenance and medical staff joined members of the Vatican's clergy on Monday (May 5) to take an oath of secrecy ahead of the upcoming papal conclave. Could cells grow food for astronauts on long missions in space?

One such recent occasion was when the late Pope suggested last year that Israel's military campaign in Gaza might amount to genocide. Parolin agreed to meet with the then-Israeli ambassador to the Vatican, Raphael Schutz, who told him that Israel wanted the pope to say more about Israel's right to defend itself.

If the Catholic cardinals entering the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis are looking for a steady administrator to run the Church and bring some calm after three consecutive papacies that were at times tempestuous,

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin is pictured in Berlin on June 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File) Published [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Date of Birth: Jan.

Only cardinals under the age of 80, who are male and Catholic, are allowed to vote in the election of the new pontiff.

In total, 133 cardinals will be voting during this conclave, the most electors ever, with 108 of them being appointed by Pope Francis.