India, May 6 -- The Papal Conclave 2025 will start on Wednesday, May 7, with a A total of 133 cardinals from different countries meeting inside the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City to choose the next pope, successor of Pope Francis who died on April 21.

As the Catholic Church prepares to elect its 267th pope, global attention is fixed on the Vatican. From speculation over frontrunners and betting odds to curiosity about the secretive voting process, the world is watching closely.

Amid the anticipation, one question is also resurfacing: Who exactly are the antipopes?

An antipope is a person who makes a competing claim to the papacy, in opposition to the legitimately elected pope. This typically occurs during times of political or doctrina...