With the passing of Pope Francis, the Roman Catholic Church is preparing to choose its next spiritual leader, a decision that could shape the future of over a billion followers worldwide. As the ...

Following the death or abdication of a pope, the Catholic Church's College of Cardinals meets at the Vatican to choose a new leader at a papal conclave.

In the 13th century, it took almost three years — 1,006 days to be exact — to choose Pope Clement IV's successor, making it the longest conclave in the Catholic Church’s history.

“When the pope emerges on the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, he is the pope for the entire Roman Catholic Church, regardless of the election results inside the Sistine Chapel,” Long said.

The Sistine Chapel awaits the Catholic Church's most senior decision-makers. The tables are set, and place cards mark the seat for each of the 133 voting cardinals.

Times have changed since then. The Sistine Chapel serves as the seat of the papal conclave since 1878 and has become a popular site for tourists, welcoming millions of visitors every year.