The most recent papal conclave was scheduled to begin on 7 May 2025 in the Sistine Chapel to elect the successor to Pope Francis.

Quick Scoop: When is the papal conclave?

  • The conclave to elect the new pope was officially set to start on 7 May 2025.
  • Cardinals gathered in Rome after the funeral of Pope Francis and chose that date in their general congregations.
  • The voting takes place in the Sistine Chapel , which is closed to visitors during the conclave.
  • Recent conclaves (like those that elected Benedict XVI and Francis) have usually lasted a couple of days , though the exact length is never guaranteed.

Any upcoming conclave?

As of early 2026, there is no scheduled future papal conclave because a new pope (Leo XIV) has already been elected following the 2025 conclave. Any future conclave would only be called after a pope’s death or resignation, and no such event is currently on the calendar.

TL;DR: If you’re asking “when is the papal conclave” in the current news cycle, people are referring to the conclave that started on 7 May 2025 ; there is no new conclave date announced beyond that.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.