Cardinals to elect new pope; conclave starts Wednesday

Firefighters installed the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel on Friday to signal the election of a new pope through white smoke as preparations continue five days before the conclave begins.

Approximately 133 Catholic cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel to elect Pope Francis's successor following his death on April 21, with black and white smoke indicating no decision or a new pontiff respectively.

Cardinals have been meeting daily at the Vatican to discuss challenges facing the next head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, emphasizing spreading faith and addressing issues like sexual abuse and financial scandals.

The conclave will begin at 4:30 PM (GMT+2) on Wednesday with cardinals taking an oath to maintain election secrecy; a two-thirds majority is required for a candidate to be elected pope.

Among the favorites to become the next pope are Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines and Italy's Pietro Parolin, who served as secretary of state under Pope Francis.