Two Catholic cardinals will not attend the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope due to health issues, the Vatican announced on Tuesday.
This reduces the number of voting cardinals expected to participate from 135 to 133.
The conclave, a solemn and secretive gathering held in the Sistine Chapel, will begin on May 7 and is anticipated to last several days as the cardinals deliberate and vote to choose the successor to Pope Francis.
While the Vatican did not officially disclose the identities of the absent cardinals, a source from the archdiocese of Valencia confirmed that Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, the retired archbishop of Valencia, is one of them, citing health concerns as the reason for his absence.
The process of selecting a new pope requires a two-thirds majority vote from those present.
With 133 cardinals now expected, the number of votes needed to elect a new pope stands at 89.
The absence of two cardinals slightly adjusts the dynamics of the election but is not expected to hinder the process.
Cardinals from around the world are already arriving in Rome to prepare for the conclave, which follows strict traditions and rituals observed for centuries.
The upcoming days are expected to be filled with prayer, reflection, and closed-door discussions as the Church seeks a new spiritual leader to guide its more than 1.3 billion followers globally.
