New Pope: 2 Catholic Cardinals To Miss Conclave Due To Illness — Vatican

Two Catholic cardinals will miss next week’s conclave to elect a new Pope because of health issues, bringing the number of electors expected to 133, the Vatican anounced on Tuesday.

Though the Vatican declined from mentioning their names, a source at the archdiocese of Valencia, however, confirmed that archbishop emeritus, Cardinal Antonio Canizares, would not be attending the conclave due to health reasons.

A total of 135 cardinals are eligible to vote in the secret ceremony in the Sistine Chapel, which begins on May 7 and is expected to last for several days.

If all the others attend, there will be 133 cardinals present.

The winner to succeed Pope Francis will require at least a two-thirds majority, a figure that falls to 89.