Papal conclave to elect new pope set to begin
Just a few hours after moving into Santa Marta, their residence at the Vatican for the duration of the process, the cardinals entered a morning Mass at St. Peter's Basilica.
The service -- open to the public -- is the last public event featuring the 115 cardinals who will choose the new spiritual leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.
They processed ceremonially into St. Peter's, dressed in scarlet robes.
The cardinal-electors -- those aged under 80 who are eligible to vote -- will then walk to the Sistine Chapel, chanting prayers as they go, to begin the secret election called the conclave.
After that, the only clue the world will have of what is happening inside will be periodic puffs of smoke from a copper chimney installed over the weekend in the Sistine Chapel.
Black smoke, no pope. White smoke, success.
Rome is abuzz
Rome was abuzz Monday with preparations for the conclave, from the 5,600 journalists the Vatican said had been accredited to cover the event to the red curtains unfurled from the central balcony at St. Peter's, the spot where the world will meet the new pope once he is elected.
Tailors have also completed sets of clothes for the new pope to wear as soon as he is elected, in three different sizes.
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