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Cardinals set to elect new pope

by Times News Service
March 12, 2013 , 10 : 10 am

Catholic cardinals had a final day of talks on March 11, 2013 before going into lockdown in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope after Benedict XVI's shock resignation, with an Italian and a Brazilian among the top contenders. Photo - AFP

Vatican City: The historic conclave to choose a successor after Benedict XVI's shock resignation, begins over a secret election with no clear frontrunner.

The 115 cardinal electors who will choose the next leader for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics after Benedict XVI's shock resignation held their last pre-conclave talks where they have been discussing possible candidates for the post and the responsibilties that the next pope will have to carry out.

On Sunday, cardinals prayed in churches across Rome for divine guidance before the conclave.

On Tuesday, the prayers will be held with a special mass called "For the Election of the Roman Pontiff" in St Peter's Basilica.The cardinals will hold the first round of voting.

In the afternoon, 115 cardinal-electors all under 80 will proceed towards the Sistine Chapel for the secret conclave to select Benedict's successor.

After taking an oath of secrecy, Msgr Guido Marini, papal master of ceremonies, will call out the words "Extra omnes" - "Everybody out" - and the chapel doors will be locked for the outsiders.

They will move into a residence inside the Vatican walls where they will sleep and eat for the duration of a conclave which is expected to last no more than a few days with an Italian and a Brazilian who head powerful archdioceses among the top contenders.

Three have been selected as clear frontrunners. The final decision has to be backed by minimum two-thirds of the 115 "cardinal electors" .

Vatican insiders suggested to put Italian Milan Archbishop Angelo Scola in the lead, another potential contender is Brazilian Odilo Scherer, the enigmatic archbishop of Sao Paolo and Latin America's best hope and finally French-Canadian Cardinal, Marc Ouellet who became an academic theologian, a missionary to South America and emerged up as the ultimate Vatican insider.

The Vatican said it expects the smoke from the burning of the ballots to be black which will indicate that no papal election has taken place.Ballots on subsequent days will be burnt after two rounds of voting each in the morning and afternoon. If the smoke turns white it will be a sign that the new 266th Bishop of Rome has been selected.

Extensive measures are taken to prevent details about the cardinals' discussions over the next pope becoming public.

Compiled by Tanaya Dash with input from agencies

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