The 2025 conclave officially started on May 7, 2025. On that day, a Mass was held at St. Peter's Basilica in the morning, followed by the cardinals assembling in the Pauline Chapel and then processing into the Sistine Chapel around 4:30 p.m. local time to begin the election process. At that time, 133 cardinal electors took an oath of secrecy and began the voting rounds to elect the new pope.