Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, the College of Cardinals is set to convene in Rome`s Sistine Chapel on May 7 to elect a new Pope. Given Rome`s status as the Vatican`s location, Italy`s Serie A immediately decided to reschedule matches initially planned for that Monday. There`s also a possibility of a weekend fixture being affected, as the conclave and the election of a new Pope are expected to draw millions of pilgrims to Rome, potentially impacting public security.
What is the Conclave?
The conclave is the assembly of the College of Cardinals gathered to elect a new Pope following the death or resignation of the previous one. The name `conclave` derives from the Latin `cum clave,` meaning `with a key,` referencing the tradition of locking the cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel to maintain strict privacy and prevent external contact until an election is made. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote; this time, 133 cardinals are expected to participate in electing the successor to Pope Francis.
The election proceeds via secret ballot, requiring a two-thirds majority for a successful vote. After every two rounds, ballots are burned: black smoke signals no decision yet, while white smoke indicates a new Pope has been elected. The conclave concludes only after the new Pope is chosen, who then announces his papal name. The last conclave in 2013, following Pope Benedict XVI`s resignation, elected Pope Francis in just two days.
Serie A Schedule
Experts generally anticipate the new Pope will be elected sometime between Thursday and Friday. However, if the process extends beyond that, the Lazio vs. Juventus match scheduled for Saturday at 12:00 p.m. ET could potentially be affected due to concerns about public security given the influx of people. As of now, however, there are no concrete indications that this match will be postponed.
Below is the Serie A schedule as currently planned (All times U.S./Eastern):
Friday, May 9
AC Milan vs. Bologna, 2:45 p.m.
Saturday, May 10
Como vs. Cagliari, 9 a.m.
Lazio vs. Juventus, 12 p.m.
Empoli vs. Parma, 2:45 p.m.
Sunday, May 11
Udinese vs. Monza, 6:30 a.m.
Verona vs. Lecce, 9 a.m.
Torino vs. Inter, 12 p.m.
Napoli vs. Genoa, 2:45 p.m.
Monday, May 12
Venezia vs. Fiorentina, 12:30 p.m.
Atalanta vs. AS Roma, 2:45 p.m.
