How to Follow the Real Papal Conclave Beginning Wednesday

Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at age 88, has been laid to rest at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. Now, the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church begin voting Wednesday for a successor in an assembly known as a conclave. Only cardinals younger than 80 years old are allowed to vote in a papal election. While 135 cardinals come in under the age requirement of 80 and thus are eligible to vote, two withdrew from the voting for health reasons, so 133 will vote. The word "conclave" is familiar to many non-Catholics now thanks to the Hollywood feature film Conclave, which was released in 2024 and is available to watch on streaming services. Read more: Where to Watch Conclave, the Vatican Thriller About Electing a New Pope How to follow the conclave There's no way to watch the real papal conclave, as it's conducted inside the walls of the Sistine Chapel and is private. The movie, while entertaining and well-reviewed, is a fictional version. But the major news networks wi ... Read full article.