On May 7, the College of Cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel to select a new pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21. The Italian Serie A, due to the Vatican’s location in Rome, has decided to postpone matches slated for that Monday. This weekend, there may also be delays for a match, as the conclave will attract a multitude of pilgrims celebrating the new Bishop of Rome.

What is the conclave?

The conclave refers to the assembly of the College of Cardinals for the election of a new pope after the previous one has died or resigned. The term derives from the Latin ‘cum clave’, which means ‘with a key’, stemming from the tradition of locking the cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel to safeguard the election’s confidentiality. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote, and currently, 133 cardinals will cast their votes to succeed Pope Francis.

Voting is conducted via secret ballots, requiring a two-thirds majority for a candidate to be chosen as the new pope. Ballots are burnt after every two voting rounds: black smoke signifies no election result, while white smoke indicates a new pope has been elected. The conclave concludes only after the new pope is named, who then decides on his papal title. The most recent conclave occurred in 2013, resulting in Pope Francis’s election within two days.

Serie A Schedule

Experts predict the new pope will be elected between Thursday and Friday; however, should it take longer, the match between Lazio and Juventus, scheduled for Saturday at 12:00 p.m. ET, might be disrupted for public safety reasons. At present, there are no indications of such an occurrence.

Matches to Watch:

• Friday, May 9
  AC Milan vs. Bologna, 2:45 p.m. (Paramount+)

• Saturday, May 10
  Como vs. Cagliari, 9 a.m. (Paramount+)
  Lazio vs. Juventus, 12 p.m. (Paramount+)
  Empoli vs. Parma, 2:45 p.m. (Paramount+)

• Sunday, May 11
  Udinese vs. Monza, 6:30 a.m. (Paramount+)
  Verona vs. Lecce, 9 a.m. (Paramount+)
  Torino vs. Inter, 12 p.m. (Paramount+)
  Napoli vs. Genoa, 2:45 p.m. (Paramount+)

Monday, May 12
Venezia vs. Fiorentina, 12:30 p.m. (Paramount+)
Atalanta vs. AS Roma, 2:45 p.m. (Paramount+)