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MANILA, Philippines — The three Filipino cardinals participating in the papal conclave have sworn an oath ahead of the Sistine Chapel doors being locked.
All 133 cardinal-electors took the oath after the recitation of the Litany of the Saints and “Veni Creator Spiritus," a hymn invoking the Holy Spirit.
The oath was taken in order of precedence, starting with the most senior cardinals and ending with those most recently elevated by Pope Francis.
The first to swear the oath was Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. He was elevated to the rank of cardinal-bishop by Pope Francis in May 2020 and appointed pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization.
ALSO READ: Tagle is third to cast ballot in conclave voting order
Next was Manila Archbishop Jose Advincula, who was made a cardinal by Francis in 2020.
The last of the Filipino cardinals to take the oath was Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, who was was named cardinal in 2024.
The oath that they recited is the following:
"Et ego [given name] Cardinalis [surname] spondeo, voveo ac iuro. Sic me Deus adiuvet et haec Sancta Dei Evangelia, quae manu mea tango. "
(English: And I, [given name] Cardinal [surname], so promise, pledge, and swear. So help me God and these Holy Gospels which I touch with my hand.)
On May 7 (Rome time), the cardinals will hold one round of voting.
If a pope is elected, white smoke will rise from the Sistine Chapel. If the cardinals fail to reach a two-thirds majority, black smoke will be seen instead.
There are 135 eligible cardinal-electors, but two—one from Spain and one from Kenya—will not be joining the conclave due to health reasons.
