There is no rule that cardinals electing a new pope vote a certain way according to their nationality or region. But understanding their makeup in geographic terms can help explain some of their priorities as they open the conclave Wednesday to choose a new leader of the 1.

Two cardinals, Michael Czerny and Chibly Langlois, sat down with ABC News to discuss the challenges facing the church that the new pope will have to face.

Sunday marked the end of the official nine-day mourning period for Pope Francis. Chicago-area Catholics spoke about his legacy and their hopes for a new pope as the papal conclave is set to begin this week.

The search for the next pope is set to start on Wednesday, May 7. Once the pope is selected, white smoke will billow above Vatican City from the Sistine Chapel.

The secretive process could have begun as early as Monday, but the cardinals gave themselves extra time to get to know one another better.