What to know about the conclave and Italian soccer: Can the new pope’s election postpone Serie A matches?

On May 7, the College of Cardinals will meet each other in Rome in the Sixtine Chapel to choose the new Pope, because on April 21’s death, Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s pontificate marked the end of the pontificate, better known as Pope Francis. The Italian Serie A, because the Vatican is in Rome, immediately decided to postpone the games that would be played on that Monday, and there is a chance that one match can be delayed this weekend, if the Conclave and the election of the new pope Millions of pilgrims will come to Rome within a few days to celebrate the new bishop of Rome.

What is the conclave?

The conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals to choose a new pope after the death or dismissal of the pope. The word conclave comes from the Latin ‘cum clave’ – with a key – because the tradition is to lock the cardinals in the Sixtine chapel to guarantee privacy, and the same cardinals will not have contacts with the outside until a new pope has been chosen. Only cardinals under the age of 80 can participate in the vote, because 133 cardinals are eligible to choose Pope Francis’s successor.

The mood takes place via Secrets stamps, where a two-thirds majority is needed to choose the new pope. The ballot papers are burned around the two rounds, with a black smoke that does not show a decision and white smoke means that a new pope was chosen. The conclave will only end when the new pope is chosen, who later decides his papal name. The most recent conclave took place in 2013 after the resignation of Benedict XVI and chosen Pope Francis in two days.

Series A schedule

Experts indicate that the new pope should be chosen between Thursday and Friday, but in case it will take longer, the competition between Lazio and Juventus that takes place on Saturday at 12:00 and will be affected for public safety reasons, but because things are not an indication of such a scenario.

Always us/eastern

Friday 9 May
AC Milan vs. Bologna, 2.45 pm (Paramount+))

Saturday 10 May
Como vs. Cagliari, 9 hours (Paramount+))
Lazio vs. Juventus, 12.00 (Paramount+))
Empoli vs. Parma, 2:45 PM (Paramount+))

Sunday 11 May
Udinese vs. Monza, 6.30 am (Paramount+))
Verona vs. Lecce, 9 hours (Paramount+))
Torino vs. Inter, 12 pm (Paramount+))
Napoli vs. Genoa, 2:45 PM (Paramount+))

Monday 12 May
Venezia vs. Fiorentina, 12.30 pm (Paramount+))
Atalanta vs. AS Roma, 2.45 pm (Paramount+))