Catholic cardinals will assemble for the election of the next leader of the church on May 7, after the funeral of Pope Francis last Saturday.

Catholic cardinals on Monday set May 7 as the start date for the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor, delaying the secret voting for two days to help them get to know one another better and find consensus on a candidate before they are sequestered in the Sistine Chapel.

Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025. Many world leaders are expected to attend his funeral in Vatican City, including President Donald Trump, Prince William, and President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Typically, popes are laid to rest beneath St. Peter's Basilica. On Saturday, Francis became the first Catholic leader in over 120 years to be buried outside the holy city, according to Vatican News.

A funeral for Pope Francis was held Saturday morning in Vatican City. His final resting place was at Santa Maria Maggiore, also known as Saint Mary Major. The pope is breaking with tradition and is the first pope in more than a century to not be buried beneath St Peter’s Basilica.