Deliberations continue at the Vatican ahead of the gathering to choose a new pope

Cardinals gathered at the Vatican on Monday as daily deliberations continue ahead of the gathering to elect the new pope, known as the conclave, which starts on Wednesday.

Several have said they do not yet have a clear idea who might emerge as the leader of the global Catholic Church, succeeding Pope Francis who passed away just over two weeks ago.

“We come from 70 countries, we don't know each other. But now, there is a ‘college’ [of cardinals] that is starting to take shape and we can see that there are a lot of personalities who could be pope,” said French Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco.

He added, however, that the cardinals are going to take their time to choose.

“I am calm. Today, I am at peace because I am sure that we will choose a good Pope for the Church,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako said there might be white smoke coming from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney “three or four days” after the start of the conclave.

At the end of each day, if a decision is not made, the cardinals burn their ballots with an added chemical to make the smoke from the chimney black.

When consensus is reached, the product makes it white, signalling to all those watching on St Peter’s Square and elsewhere that a new pope has been chosen.

There are currently 135 cardinals who are under age 80 and therefore eligible to vote. Two have told the Holy See that they cannot attend for health reasons, bringing the number of men who will enter the Sistine Chapel down to 133.

A two-thirds majority is needed to be elected pope, meaning that if the number of electors holds at 133, the winner must secure 89 votes.

The conclave itself begins Wednesday morning with the celebration of a special Mass in St. Peter's Basilica.