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Catholic cardinals continued their preparatory meetings at the Vatican on Saturday ahead of next week’s vote to elect a new pope, following the death of Pope Francis last month.
Saturday marked the ninth session of the “general congregations”—confidential discussions held nearly every day since the death of the Argentine pontiff on April 21.
These gatherings, attended by cardinals from around the world, offer an opportunity to reflect on the direction of the Church and the challenges the next pope will face before the conclave formally begins on Wednesday.
Navigating crowds of pilgrims and reporters on their way to the meeting, the cardinals—often referred to as the “Princes of the Church”—remained tight-lipped.
Singapore’s Archbishop, Cardinal William Seng Chye Goh, regarded as a conservative figure, said, “We do not know; we just wait for the Lord to tell us,” when asked how long the conclave might last.
The Vatican’s press director, Matteo Bruni, confirmed that 177 cardinals were present at Saturday’s session, including 127 under the age of 80—the age limit for voting eligibility.
When the conclave begins on Wednesday, 133 cardinal electors will be locked inside the Sistine Chapel, where they will cast secret ballots until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority to become the new head of the Catholic Church.
Reflecting on Pope Francis’s legacy, Cardinal Goh acknowledged his impact while stressing the limitations of any pontiff.
“We recognise his achievement, but no pope is perfect; no one can do everything, so we will find the best person to succeed St. Peter.”
Meanwhile, Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco of Algiers expressed hope that the conclave would select a leader to continue in Francis’s progressive mould.
“We must discover the one the Lord has already chosen,” he said, hinting that while more time for prayer together might have been beneficial, he believed the cardinals would be prepared to choose the right successor when the time came.
Bruni confirmed there would be two more general congregations on Monday. He reiterated that these sessions are not intended to promote candidates but to discuss broader Church matters.
Saturday’s discussions included tributes to Pope Francis’s papacy, as well as conversations around global peace efforts and the role of the Vatican’s administrative body, the Curia, in supporting the work of the Holy See.
Bruni said many cardinals expressed a hope that the next pope would possess a “prophetic spirit,” guiding a Church that remains outward-facing and committed to bringing hope to a troubled world.
The upcoming papal election is being closely observed by the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics — and even by some outside the faith.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump posted a digitally altered image of himself in papal robes on his Truth Social platform, jokingly suggesting he would enjoy the job.
