About 130 cardinals will be able to vote on a successor for Francis, and a two-thirds majority is needed to elect the new head of the Roman Catholic Church.

With 135 cardinals eligible to vote, the coming conclave is set to be the largest in the history of the Catholic Church and one of the most unpredictable in decades.

Catholic cardinals will assemble for the election of the next leader of the church on May 7, after the funeral of Pope Francis last Saturday.