The Vatican announced Tuesday that it will disable all mobile phone signals within its territory during the papal conclave to ensure total secrecy as cardinals prepare to elect a successor to Pope Francis, who died on April 21.
The Governorate of Vatican City State confirmed that “all transmission systems of the telecommunications signal for mobile telephones present in the territory of the Vatican City State … will be deactivated” starting at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7. The signal blackout will remain in place until the new pope is elected and announced. However, the shutdown will not affect St. Peter’s Square, where thousands of faithful are expected to gather in anticipation of the announcement.
A total of 133 cardinals from around the world will convene behind closed doors in the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday to begin the highly secretive voting process. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote. As tradition requires, participants must surrender all electronic devices and remain cut off from the outside world until a new pontiff is chosen.
The cardinals began arriving and checking into designated Vatican accommodations on Tuesday, ahead of the start of the conclave. They will take a formal oath to maintain strict confidentiality throughout the election process.
The outcome of the vote remains uncertain. While a few names have surfaced as potential front-runners, many cardinals have expressed uncertainty about who might emerge as the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
“I have no guess,” said Cardinal Robert McElroy, Archbishop of Washington, D.C., speaking during a parish visit in Rome. “The process is profound and mysterious.”
Cardinals are reportedly divided between those who want to continue Pope Francis’ emphasis on a more inclusive and globally representative Church, and those who favor a return to more traditional doctrinal values.
Pope Francis was known for elevating cardinals from underrepresented countries, including Haiti, South Sudan, and Myanmar, a legacy that may influence the conclave’s direction. The voting process could take several days, requiring multiple rounds before a candidate secures the required two-thirds majority to become pope.
