Leaders around the world have begun congratulating Robert Francis Prevost for being chosen to succeed Pope Francis.

The earliest clues suggest Leo could champion inclusion and openness to change — like his predecessor, Pope Francis.

Becoming pope was a big deal for a cardinal and his family. Leading candidates known as papabili (pope-ables) began strategising and negotiating even before a pontiff died.

As the Catholic Church prepares to elect its next spiritual leader, here’s a detailed look at the centuries-old ritual of the papal conclave, an event marked by history, secrecy, and sacred tradition.

Some have watched it in the cinema,” one cleric involved said, adding that the movie accurately portrays how the conclave works.

Catholic cardinals will sequester themselves Wednesday behind the Vatican’s medieval walls for the start of a conclave to elect the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, a successor to Pope Francis who died in April at the age of 88.