Conclave To Elect New Pope To Begin On 7 May, Vatican Says

Cardinals will meet next month in a secret conclave to elect the next pope, the Vatican has said.

The closed-door meeting will start inside the Sistine Chapel on 7 May and will involve some 135 cardinals from across the world.

It follows the death of Pope Francis who died on Easter Monday and whose funeral was held on Saturday.

There is no timescale as to how long it will take to elect the next pope, but the previous two Conclaves, held in 2005 and 2013, lasted just two days.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. 

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