Roman Catholic cardinals will begin their secret conclave to elect the new leader of the global Church on May 7, the Vatican said, confirming what a source had previously told Reuters.

Cardinals have chosen May 7 as the date to start conclave and elect a new leader for 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, the Vatican announced.

Pope Francis is dead. The throne is vacant. The voting will soon begin. What does the death of Pope Francis mean for the Catholic church at home and abroad? What will be the big issues facing the cardinals,