The conclave that will elect the new head of the Roman Catholic Church will be the most geographically diverse yet, as it will be made up of cardinals from 71 countries.
The right to vote in the conclave, which begins on Wednesday, is reserved for cardinals under the age of 80. There are currently 135 of them, but 133 cardinals will participate in the conclave, as two withdrew due to illness.
52 cardinals come from Europe, 23 from Asia, 20 from North America, 17 each from Africa and South America, and four from Australia and Oceania, according to the Associated Press.
The countries from which the most cardinals with voting rights come are: Italy (17), the United States (10), Brazil (7), France and Spain (5 each), Argentina, Canada, India, Poland and Portugal (4 each).
There is no rule that belonging to a country or region affects the way cardinals vote, but the composition of the conclave in a geographical sense can indicate their priorities.
A cardinal who heads the Vatican's office for liturgy may have significantly different concerns than an archbishop in Mongolia; a cardinal who heads a major European archdiocese likely has different priorities compared to a Vatican ambassador to war-torn Syria.
A two-thirds majority is required to elect a pope, meaning the winner must secure the support of 89 of the 133 cardinals. The vote, which is held in strict secrecy, can take several days.
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