Anticipation grows in Vatican City on the eve of Conclave

Michael Higgins, author of 'The Jesuit Disruptor: A Personal Portrait of Pope Francis,' talks about his predictions for the conclave.

ROME — Anticipation has taken hold on the streets that line the walls of the Vatican, as thousands upon thousands descend on the ancient city for the selection of the next pope.

In St. Peters Square on Tuesday, the faithful already began to congregate. Hundreds sat on the steps of the square and spoke with excitement of the days to come.

Speaking to CTV News in Rome, Neil MacCarthy with the Archdioceses of Toronto shared that following the death of Pope Francis, it’s been “three or four weeks of a Catholic infomercial if you will. People want to find out more about the church and learn more about the church and the process involved in selecting the pope.”

That process will include 133 cardinal electors, who’re each under the age of 80. Canada has four cardinal electors, each of whom have already entered the Domus Marthae Sanctae, a hotel-like residence in the Vatican.

Around 4:30pm local time on Wednesday, the cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel for day one of the conclave where just a single ballot vote will take place. It is expected that the first day of voting will give the cardinals a greater understanding of the front runners, some of whom may not have made headlines just yet.

This is also a time of prayer for many of the 1.4 billion Catholics across the world. The new pope will set the agenda and the tone for the global church. Some Canadians arriving today shared with CTV News their desire for a pope similar to Francis, who will continue to push for a more open and accepting church.

Standing near the entrance to St. Peters Square, MacCarthy adds that there’s “a fascination with the conclave even if you’re not catholic.”

In a digital age, the world now waits for a puff of holy smoke to signal the future.