The Vatican has announced that the conclave to elect a new pope will begin on May 7.
This follows the death of Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88 on Easter Monday from a stroke and heart failure.
After his funeral, which attracted global attention, Pope Francis was laid to rest in a simple tomb at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.
On Sunday, cardinals visited his grave to pay their respects.
The cardinals held their first meeting since the pope’s death, where discussions about church matters and preparations for the conclave took place.
Only cardinals under 80 are eligible to vote in the election, and 135 cardinals are currently qualified to participate in the process.
The conclave will determine the next leader for the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
