The cardinals in the 2025 papal conclave, who were eligible to elect the new pope following the death of Pope Francis, consisted of 135 cardinal electors under the age of 80 at the time the Holy See became vacant (April 21, 2025). Of these, 133 participated in the conclave held in the Sistine Chapel starting May 7, 2025

Composition and Background of the Cardinal Electors

• Total cardinal electors eligible: 135
• Participating cardinal electors: 133 (two did not attend)
• Age range: Youngest was 45 years old, oldest was 79 years old
• Rank breakdown: 5 cardinal bishops, 108 cardinal priests, 20 cardinal deacons
• Appointment by popes: 5 by John Paul II, 20 by Benedict XVI, 108 by Francis
• Roles: 29 served in the Roman Curia, 79 in pastoral ministry outside Rome, 26 were retired
• Represented countries: 71 countries across five continents, including a significant number from Italy (17 voting cardinals), the United States (10), Brazil (7), Spain (5), and many others with one or more electors

Notable Cardinals

• The oldest cardinal elector was Carlos Osoro Sierra from Spain (79 years old)

• The conclave was presided over by the most senior cardinal bishop under 80, Pietro Parolin, since the dean and vice-dean were over 80 and ineligible

• The conclave elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as pope, who took the name Leo XIV

Geographic Diversity

• The College of Cardinals was notably less Eurocentric than in the past, with many electors from the Global South and new countries represented for the first time, such as Haiti, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Rwanda, Tonga, Malaysia, Sweden, Luxembourg, Timor Leste, Singapore, Paraguay, South Sudan, and Serbia

In summary, the cardinal electors in the 2025 conclave were a diverse group of 133 participating cardinals under 80 years old from 71 countries, mostly appointed by Pope Francis, who gathered in the Sistine Chapel to elect the new pope Leo XIV