At 88, Pope Francis I was the second-oldest pope in 600 years, following Leo XIII. His passing initiates the conclave to elect the 267th Pope, with eligible cardinals gathering in Rome for secret ballot voting, where only those under 80 can participate. The Cardinals consider the current state of the church and world during their deliberations, with a divide between progressive and conservative factions influencing the choice, and the process can take an indeterminate amount of time, indicated by the burning of ballots to signal no decision has been reached.
