The Pauline Chapel includes the last frescoes of Michelangelo, painted as an old man after he had finished the Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel.

Sistine Chapel closes, conclave to elect new pope begins The order, “extra omnes” (all out) delivered by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, allows the beginning of voting to elect the 267th pope to ...

Cardinals choosing the next leader of the global Catholic Church were locked into the Vatican's Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, marking the formal start of the conclave to elect a successor to ...

VATICAN CITY: Thick black smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel's chimney Wednesday, according to AFP journalists, in a sign that cardinals failed to elect a new pope in their first conclave vote.

Black smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel during the cardinals' conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) ...

As they processed into the chapel adorned with Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgement,” the 133 cardinals chanted the meditative “Litany of the Saints.” A line of Swiss Guards stood at ...

Latin chants and organ music had accompanied the cardinals as they processed into the frescoed chapel, with Michelangelo's depiction of Christ delivering the Last Judgment dominating the 500-year ...

The events of the conclave take place underneath Michelangelo’s famous frescoes, including “the Last Judgement,” painted between 1535 and 1541. Inside the Sistine Chapel, tables are set up ...

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Black smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday, signalling that no pope had been elected as 133 cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual to ...

Cardinals entering the Sistine Chapel for the first day of the 2013 conclave.© MAURIX - Getty Images Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment, one section of his Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes ...

The Sistine Chapel has witnessed every papal election since 1492 with only five exceptions, and it is preparing to once again host the conclave.