Rome, 6 May 2025 (dpa/MIA) - All cardinals who are eligible to elect the next head of the Catholic Church have arrived in Rome two days before the conclave begins, but few would hazard a guess as to how long the vote will take.

"I am at peace. I am sure we will give the Church a good pope," Archbishop of Algiers Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco said on his arrival for one of the last preliminary meetings, a so-called General Congregation.

The field of candidates was now more open than when he arrived in Rome, Vesco said.

What is needed is a "shepherd," someone who can represent the values of the Gospel and stand for peace, he stressed.

On Wednesday, a total of 133 Catholic dignitaries will begin the process of electing a successor to Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday. The meeting or conclave will be held in the Sistine Chapel.

The most promising candidate is considered to be the current number two in the Church, 70-year-old Pietro Parolin from Italy. However, more than a dozen candidates are now being discussed.

On Tuesday, a final preparatory meeting of the College of Cardinals, known as a General Congregation, will take place before the conclave.

Cardinals over the age of 80 who are no longer eligible to participate in the conclave, due to exceeding the age limit, can attend the Tuesday meeting.

Francis had been the head of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide since March 2013. He died at the age of 88.

During the conclave, according to Church rules, the cardinals are not allowed to have any contact with the outside world until they have agreed on a new pontiff by a two-thirds majority.

White smoke rising from the chimney on the roof of the chapel signals that a new pope has been chosen. He then appears on the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica and presents himself.

Cardinal Joseph Coutts from Pakistan refused to speculate as to how long it will take.

"It depends on the voting," said he said.

"We hope that the new pope will arrive in three or four days," ventured Iraqi Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako.

When they were able to break away from the horde of journalists, some cardinals blessed passers-by outside the Vatican gates.

One US visitor even asked the dignitaries to sign baseballs he had brought with him, and several did him the courtesy.

MIA file photo