The doors of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican were closed on Wednesday, signalling the start of a secret conclave where 133 cardinals from around the world will elect a new pope.

On Wednesday afternoon, red-hatted clerics who carry the same weight and dignity as princes within the Catholic Church entered the Sistine Chapel for the papal conclave to choose Pope Francis‘s successor.

The 133 cardinals from 70 countries will be locked inside the Sistine Chapel, where they will vote in secret and silence, a process designed to be both contemplative and free from outside