Cardinals pray for unity

The Dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Sodano, celebrated the special papal election mass, telling the 115 scarlet-robed cardinals preparing to elect the 266th pope: “Each of us must work to build up the unity of the Church.” Sodano also prompted thunderous applause when he evoked Benedict XVI, who stunned the world by resigning abruptly last month after an eight-year pontificate often overshadowed by Vatican in-fighting.

Sodano referred to the “beloved and venerable” Benedict – the first pope to resign in over 700 years and only the second to step down by choice in some 2 000 years of Church history.
As the cardinals prayed, a rainstorm drenched thousands of pilgrims watching the momentous event on four giant screens in St Peter’s Square.

The “Princes of the Church” will be cut off from the outside world inside the Vatican walls until they have made their choice in a centuries-old ritual – much of it carried out in Latin.
They took to Twitter to say their goodbyes to their online flock before the conclave, where jamming devices will block any communications.
“Last tweet before conclave: May Our Father hear and answer with love and mercy all prayers and sacrifices offered for fruitful outcome.
“God bless!” South African cardinal Wilfrid Napier said.

The cardinals are sworn to secrecy with a solemn oath that threatens anyone who reveals the contents of their deliberations with excommunication.
They entered the Sistine Chapel in a procession starting at 1530 GMT, chanting in Latin to invoke divine guidance for the vote.

The cardinals are then set to hold a first round of voting – but the Vatican has already said it expects the smoke from the burning of the ballots in a special stove in the chapel to be black, indicating no pope has been elected.

From today, ballots will be burnt after two rounds of voting in the morning and after two rounds in the afternoon – the smoke above the Vatican is famously turned white if there is a new pope. Conclaves normally last no more than a few days and a two-thirds majority is required. – AFP.