As they entered the Vatican to participate in a series of meetings leading up to the election of Pope Francis' successor, several cardinals spoke to the media, emphasizing that they are still mourning the Argentine pontiff—not yet choosing his successor.

"We are not yet speaking about the conclave or the succession; we are still speaking about Pope Francis, we are still crying for Pope Francis," said Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, archbishop of Algiers, Algeria. He was among the last cardinals created by the late pontiff, in December 2024.

Starting at 8 a.m. Rome time April 24, the cardinals already in the city for the funeral -- and soon, the conclave to elect Pope Francis' successor—made their way to the Synod Hall, a room within the Vatican grounds. There, the general congregations—closed-door meetings of the College of Cardinals—will take place until the conclave begins, no earlier than May 5.

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At that point, all cardinals under age 80 will enter lockdown, isolated from the world with no access to phones or computers, until the 267th leader of the Catholic Church is elected.

"Pope Francis was a big promoter of communion and fraternity, and that is what we are seeing so far," said Cardinal Fernando Chomalí, the only Chilean cardinal under 80 and, as such, the only one with the right to vote—and be voted for—during the conclave.

"We have to think a lot about him, how we, in our own lives, can live what Pope Francis lived in his," he said.

Cardinal Chomalí also expressed joy at the large crowds currently in Rome, lining up to say their goodbyes to the pope. As of April 24 morning, more than 48,000 people had entered St. Peter's Basilica, according to the Vatican. People had waited in line for hours to pass through the doors of the basilica, which remained open until 5:30 a.m.

"We are also sad, but we must carry on, because he believed in the Resurrection, and he is now living what he preached his entire life. For us, this is an important message," Cardinal Chomalí said.

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According to Cardinal Fernando Filoni, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, the process is not yet in its "decisive" stage but rather its "organizational stage."

Cardinal Filoni, the former prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and one of 17 Italian cardinal-electors, also addressed the case of Cardinal Angelo Becciu, a controversial Italian prelate convicted by a Vatican court in 2023 for embezzlement.

"It will be discussed; I cannot say what will happen," Cardinal Filoni said. "We will have to study it."

While Cardinal Becciu was stripped of his rights and privileges as a cardinal, he was not officially removed from the College of Cardinals, and as such, is eligible to participate in pre-conclave discussions despite his conviction for financial crimes. In recent days, he has insisted that he has the right to attend the conclave.

Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi also refrained from voicing an opinion regarding Cardinal Becciu, saying it is up to the College of Cardinals to decide, and that so far, no decision has been made.

A former president of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Cardinal Versaldi served in the Vatican during most of Pope Francis' pontificate, from 2015 to 2022. "He was a man close to the people, capable of initiating the necessary reforms, even if he encountered several obstacles," he said of the late pope.

"It will take time to fully assimilate what we have lived with him, what he has done, and the Lord will most certainly repay him as the faithful servant he was," Cardinal Versaldi said.

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"Beyond the human element within the general congregations, there is an atmosphere of listening to the Holy Spirit, who assists the church, and the electors will be able to interpret God's will."

(Ines San Martin writes for OSV News from Rome. She is vice president of communications at the Pontifical Mission Societies USA.)