All of the 133 cardinals expected to take part in the secret conclave to elect a new Pope have arrived in Rome, the Vatican says, with the race to succeed Pope Francis seen as wide open.

Premier Daniel Andrews says there will not be a state funeral or memorial service in Victoria for Cardinal George Pell because it would be distressing for victim-survivors. 

The largest and most geographically diverse conclave in history will resume for a second day, with Roman Catholic cardinals returning to the Sistine Chapel to try to settle a wide-open papal election.

It's famed for its breathtaking beauty, but the Sistine Chapel is right now a bunker as Cardinals prepare to elect a new Pope. Reaching a consensus could take hours or days, with smoke the only sign a decision has been made.

Dozens of cardinals have journeyed across Rome to pray at Saint Mary Major Basilica and pay tribute to the late Pope Francis' tomb on Sunday. Francis’ coffin was placed in a simple marble tomb inscribed with his name in Latin, "Franciscus", in a side aisle of the basilica after his funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday. The cardinals walked through the Holy Door, which was opened at the start of the year to mark the start of the Jubilee Year 2025 and took turns to pray at the pope’s tomb. Following Francis’ funeral ceremonies, the focus is set to switch to the secretive conclave that’s on the horizon, to elect who might succeed the late pope.

Cardinals worldwide will convene on May 7 to elect a new Pope, with 135 cardinals eligible to participate in the Conclave to cast their vote in the secret ballot.

The process to elect a new Pope is steeped in more than 800 years of history and tradition. 252 members of the College of Cardinals the Catholic Church’s most senior figures are now making their way to Rome to take part in the conclave. Subscribe to 10 News First to get the latest updates and breaking news: https://bit.ly/37DDbL1 Join the conversation and follow us on: TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@10newsfirst/ Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/10NewsFirst/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/10NewsFirst Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/10NewsFirst/ 10 News First airs at 5pm, seven nights a week in your local market on Network 10. Missed the bulletin? Catch up at https://10play.com.au/news

It's been a tragic summer on our waterways, with the number of drownings 14% higher than the five-year average. Royal Life Saving says the swimming skills of students are "dangerously weak," calling on schools to urgently boost swim programs with many carnivals being cancelled.

While the conclave to choose the next Pope is still two weeks away – the drama surrounding the top-secret election is already happening. Of particular interest is Giovanni Angelo Becciu– who is challenging the college of Cardinals 'for the right' to vote in the process.

Pope Francis - known to push himself to exhaustion - spent his final day working, defying the advice of doctors who had told him to take two months' rest.