MANILA, Philippines – The conclave to elect the successor of the late Pope Francis will begin at 4:30 pm in the Vatican on Wednesday, May 7 (10:30 pm, Manila time).
The 133 cardinal electors will first pray the Litany of the Saints in the Pauline Chapel, located in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.
They will then participate in a procession to the Sistine Chapel, also in the Apostolic Palace. There, the cardinals will take an oath to fulfill the Munus Petrinum (mission of Peter) if they are elected pope.
Vatican News reported that the cardinal electors will also “pledge to maintain absolute secrecy regarding everything related to the election.”
Following the oath-taking, the master of pontifical liturgical celebrations will declare “Extra omnes!” (“Everyone out!”) Other than the cardinal electors, only the master of pontifical liturgical celebrations and the ecclesiastic or member of the clergy assigned to deliver the second meditation will remain inside the Sistine Chapel.
“This meditation focuses on the grave responsibility that rests upon the electors and the necessity of acting with pure intentions for the good of the Universal Church, keeping only God before their eyes,” Vatican News explained.
After the meditation, the master of pontifical liturgical celebrations and the ecclesiastic will leave, and the cardinal electors will recite prayers “according to the Ordo Sacrorum Rituum Conclavis (Order of the Sacred Rites of the Conclave)” before proceeding with the secret ballot.
Bookmark this page to watch the livestream of the cardinals’ procession and oath-taking. – Rappler.com
