(MENAFN) On Monday, the Vatican revealed that cardinals from all over the globe will gather next month in a confidential conclave to choose the successor to Pope Francis, who passed away recently.

The private meeting is scheduled to start on May 7 inside the Sistine Chapel, with approximately 135 cardinals expected to attend.

This election, which follows a long-standing tradition that dates back centuries, comes after the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday.

His funeral service took place on Saturday.

There is no set timeline for the duration of the conclave, but the last two papal elections, in 2005 and 2013, were completed within two days.

Pope Francis, born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires to Italian immigrant parents, was a key figure in the Church.

He pursued his education in Argentina and later in Germany before becoming a Jesuit priest in 1969.

Even after more than ten years as pope, he remained both admired and controversial. He aimed to reform the Vatican's administration, combat corruption, and address critical issues facing the Church.

In February, Pope Francis was hospitalized in Rome due to bronchitis, which later progressed into bilateral pneumonia.

He was discharged after spending 38 days in the hospital and continued his recovery at the Vatican residence.

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