In a solemn ceremony on Wednesday morning, cardinals from across the globe gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican for a final mass before entering the highly secretive conclave to elect a new pope. The ritual marked the last public act before the College of Cardinals isolates itself within the Vatican to choose a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month after serving as pontiff for 12 years.

A total of 133 cardinal electors under the age of 80 — representing diverse traditions and regions — are expected to participate in the conclave. With no clear frontrunner, the papal election is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory.

Presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, the mass was a moment of spiritual reflection as the Church braces for the selection of its 267th leader. The new pope will require at least 89 votes — a two-thirds majority — to be elected, with the cardinals set to conduct their first vote later in the day within the iconic Sistine Chapel.

This year’s conclave is the largest in the Church’s history, drawing cardinals from roughly 70 nations. While many were appointed by Pope Francis, opinions within the group remain divided. Some electors are expected to back a pontiff who will continue Francis’s legacy of progressive reforms, while others favor a return to more conservative doctrine.

Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a prominent contender and former Secretary of State under Francis, is anticipated to lead the opening prayer in the Sistine Chapel. The cardinals will invoke the Holy Spirit by chanting the Latin hymn “Veni, Creator Spiritus” before taking a sacred oath of secrecy. All forms of communication with the outside world are strictly forbidden during the conclave.

Each ballot, marked with “Eligo in Summum Pontificem” (“I elect as Supreme Pontiff”), will be cast in silence under Michelangelo’s Last Judgment. These votes will then be burned — black smoke indicating no decision, white smoke announcing a new pope.

Beyond internal Church dynamics, the new pontiff will inherit significant global and institutional challenges, from declining Church attendance in the West and financial struggles at the Vatican to geopolitical tensions and the continued fallout of the clergy abuse crisis.

As the faithful crowd into St. Peter’s Square with eyes fixed on the Sistine Chapel chimney, the world waits in anticipation for the next chapter in the history of the Catholic Church.