Read, Watch or Listen

Following Pope Francis' funeral, the Vatican closed the Sistine Chapel to prepare for the upcoming conclave to elect his successor. A nine-day mourning period precedes the conclave, expected to begin between May 5th and 10th. The chapel, famous for Michelangelo's frescoes, will host the cardinals who will participate in the secretive election process. Black smoke will signal a lack of consensus, while white smoke announces the election of the new pope.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.