CARDINALS are gathering in the Sistine Chapel today to take part in a secretive 1,000-year-old tradition to elect the new Pope.

Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 133 cardinals will start voting for one of their number to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

A mass will be held in the Vatican this morning before the cardinals make their way from their residence at Casa Santa Marta to the Sistine Chapel for the election, which begins at 2.30pm UK time.

The cardinals swear an oath of secrecy, risking excommunication if they reveal what happens in the conclave, and are forbidden from contacting the outside world until they have a decision.

The outside world will have to wait for the plumes of smoke to emerge from the chimney – black smoke means no one has reached a majority and white smoke means a new pope has been elected.

The previous two conclaves lasted two days, but hopefully papal watchers won’t have to wait as long as the vote following the death of Pope Clement IV, lasted a staggering two years.

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