An expected 133 cardinal electors will enter the Sistine Chapel May 7 to elect the new Roman pontiff, the successor to Pope Francis, who shied away from giving red hats to the traditional archdioceses but opted to give the honor to far-flung places,

As members of the College of Cardinals prepare for the conclave, they face a profound choice: Build on the late pope’s reforms and vision, or slow things down and make a course correction.

Cardinals from all over the world are poised to elect a successor to Pope Francis at the conclave that begins Wednesday. But what exactly is a cardinal? High dignitary A cardinal (from the Latin “cardinalis” or principal) is a high dignitary of the Catholic Church chosen by the pope to assist him in his government.