Apr 29, Kathmandu- The next pope will be elected by Roman Catholic cardinals on May 7 after the death of Pope Francis. The pope is the leader of the universal church and the election for this position is a long process. It is decided in a secret conclave, which is considered the oldest and most secretive electoral process in the world.

Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88 and was buried on Saturday. The election process for a new pope will now begin on May 7, when 135 cardinals will gather. The contents of this meeting are kept confidential and only people under the age of 80 participate.

By rule, people aged 80 and over are not allowed to participate in the papal election process, but they can join the conclave and attend closed sessions. The cardinals meet in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel to elect the pope, a process that has been going on since the 16th century.

The previous two conclave meetings, held in 2005 and 2013, lasted just two days, but Reuters reported that a Swedish cardinal said the upcoming papal election could take longer because the cardinals appointed by Pope Francis have never met each other.