The world's Catholic cardinals met on Monday for the first time after the funeral of Pope Francis to discuss a possible date to enter a secret conclave and elect the next leader of the global Church.

Following Saturday’s massive funeral for Pope Francis, cardinals gathered in Rome are advancing swiftly toward setting a date for the next conclave. On Monday, during the ongoing general congregations—preparatory meetings crucial to the election process—several senior clerics indicated that the conclave date would likely be finalized by day’s end.

Catholic cardinals have begun preparations for a conclave to elect the next pope following Francis' death, as debates over reform versus tradition emerge.