Cardinals from around the world have descended on Rome for the secretive conclave to decide the next pope.

Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle are among the favourites to succeed Pope Francis ahead of the Papal Conclave, which begins on Wednesday.

The ritual begins with a mass in St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning, and later in the afternoon, the 133 cardinal electors will walk to the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel while chanting the litany of the saints.

Once there, the cardinals will take a vow of secrecy, and stand before Michealangelo’s famous vision of heaven and hell to swear to carry out the solemn duty of selecting a new leader of the Catholic Church.

Then, the work of debating and voting on who among them could lead will begin.

The conclave comes after the funeral of Pope Francis, who made liberal changes to the Catholic Church during his 12-year papacy.

Pope Francis also increased the diversity of cardinals, who will now elect his successor. The question is whether they will choose someone to carry on Pope Francis’s legacy, or opt for a more traditional figure.

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