The Vatican Press Office announced that the conclave to elect the new pope will begin Tuesday, March 12th. The vote came this afternoon during the
College of Cardinals. The cardinals have been meeting all week to discuss issues
facing the church and to size up potential candidates. None of the cardinals are talking to the press and there is no frontrunner. To become pope a candidate must receive a two-thirds majority of the vote or 77 out of the 115 voting cardinals. The curia hopes to have a pope chosen by Palm Sunday, which is March 24th. The longest conclave on record took 5 days. Most conclaves take around two days. When the white smoke comes out of the chimney where the cardinals are meeting, there will be a new pope. The AP reports:
