The status of an Italian cardinal is being debated as preparations get under way for the May 7 conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis.

The Vatican has announced the start time for the conclave. The event will begin on May 7 with a prayer in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace at 4:30 PM local time, followed by a procession to the Sistine Chapel.

Cardinals arriving for the first day of meetings after Pope Francis’ funeral were swarmed at the city-state’s gates by journalists eager for hints of whether any consensus is building around the elect

The Vatican is closing the Sistine Chapel to the public as part of preparations for the conclave to elect the next pope after the death of Francis

The cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church will gather on May 7 to elect a new pope in one of the most famous buildings in the world, the Sistine Chapel. Below are some facts about the chapel: * Named after Pope Sixtus IV and built from 1473-81,