International Despite upper limit: all eligible voters admitted to conclave
All cardinals eligible to vote may take part in the upcoming papal election, even though a conclave is actually limited to 120 churchmen.
30.04.2025, 11:47
SDA
The late Pope Francis overruled this maximum number laid down in canon law by appointing so many cardinal electors during his term of office that the number now exceeds 120, according to a statement from the cardinals already gathered in Rome.
At the conclave, which begins on May 7, 135 of the total of 252 cardinals are eligible to vote, as they have not yet reached the age of 80. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni explained on Tuesday that two cardinals would be absent from the papal election for health reasons. Bruni did not give any names. However, the Archbishop Emeritus of Valencia, Antonio Cañizares (79), had already declared more than a week ago that he would not be able to travel to Rome.
