VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — LifeSite editor-in-chief John-Henry Westen interviewed Catholic journalist Edward Pentin, one of the leaders of the College of Cardinals Project, on his team’s research into the cardinals voting in this week’s papal conclave, his insight into the conclave, how Vatican officials and lay faithful are feeling about it and the end of Francis’ pontificate, and more.

A conclave of unknowns

Westen asked Pentin, given his experience covering previous conclaves, about the feeling in Rome on this conclave. Pentin emphasized that, unlike previous conclaves, there are a lot of unknowns and there is no clear front-runner to be elected pope.

“I’ve covered three conclaves now, and this one, I have to say, is completely open,” he said. “Apart from perhaps Cardinal Parolin, who’s often talked about, even he hasn’t got … a huge following. I don’t think he’s got a huge chance necessarily of being elected.”

READ: Leading Freemason supports Cardinal Parolin for Pope, says Francis had masonic ties

“But it’s such an open field and it’s such a diverse field and there are so many cardinals. It’s the biggest conclave in history. … Anything goes for this [conclave],” he added.

A ‘new springtime’ following Francis’ papacy?

Westen noted that during the Francis pontificate, there was a very real spirit of fear in the Vatican. He asked Pentin if that fear has dissipated. The journalist stressed that Vatican officials have told him they feel “free” now that Francis’ papacy has concluded.

“There’s a Vatican official who … when he was asked, ‘How does he feel now that the pope’s died? He said, ‘Oh, now I feel free,’” Pentin said. “I know another one saying it feels like it’s [a] new springtime. I think there’s a sense of a lifting of a bit of an oppression. There was very much a climate of fear and [there] was low morale in the Vatican, and that seems to have lifted.”

READ: Rebuilding the Church after Francis will be a ‘long and complex’ task: Catholic philosopher

Westen concluded the interview by turning to the Catholic laity, asking Pentin how he’s sensing they feel about Pope Francis’ death and the conclave to elect his successor.

“[The faithful] are just generally … looking towards the next pope,” he said. “I think there is a sense of, ‘That was a troubled pontificate, it was a divisive one.’”

“And I think there’s a lot of hope looking forward that the next pontificate will be calmer and less radical and just back to normal.”

To hear more from Edward Pentin, watch or listen to the full interview.