Convicted cardinal to attend conclave

Slide 1: Popes are chosen by the College of Cardinals, the Church's most senior officials. They are called to the Vatican for the Papal election - or Conclave. Slide 2: Cardinals over the age of 80 cannot take part in the vote. The cardinals are shut in the Vatican until they reach agreement.

Church rules call for conclaves to begin 15 to 20 days after a pope dies or resigns. Cardinals can start the proceedings before the 15-day mark, but only if all electors are present.

The cardinals vote by secret ballot, processing one by one up to Michelangelo's fresco of the Last Judgment, saying a prayer and dropping the twice-folded ballot in a large chalice. Four rounds of balloting are taken every day until a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote.

Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on 28 February 2013, a papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor on 13 March. He chose Francis as his papal name in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi.