The United States is home to 10 of the 133 cardinals eligible to vote for the next pope. That's more than any other nation except Italy, home to 17 of the electors who will gather at the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on Wednesday for the conclave that will choose a successor to Pope Francis.

The United States is the home country of 10 of the 133 cardinals eligible to vote for the next pope of the Catholic Church

Cardinals hailing from 71 different countries will begin electing a pope this week in the most geographically diverse conclave in history.

A papal conclave is set to begin in Vatican City starting May 7, during which cardinals from around the world will elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic church. The tradition occurs any time a pope dies or resigns from the office. Pope Francis died April 21, the day after Easter.

As more than a billion Catholics around the world await the election of a new pope, all eyes will be on the Sistine Chapel, where 133 cardinals will begin the secretive process known as a conclave.

He is on some lists of possible candidates to replace Pope Francis when cardinals gather this week to choose a successor. "Conventional wisdom" says never to bet on an American pope, said The New York Times.

Contenders for pope emerge from the U.S., Asia, and Africa—raising the chance of a non-European successor to Francis.