Photos: Conclave to elect new Pope Begins at Vatican
March 12, 2013
Cardinals attend the Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice Mass at St Peter's Basilica, before they enter the conclave to decide who the next pope will be, on March 12, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. Cardinals are set to enter the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI after he became the first pope in 600 years to resign from the role. The conclave is scheduled to start on March 12 inside the Sistine Chapel and will be attended by 115 cardinals as they vote to select the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) ( 163555776 )
In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, cardinals, in red, attend a Mass for the election of a new pope celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, figure at the center of the stage beneath the Bernini baldachin, inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to elect the next pope amid more upheaval and uncertainty than the Catholic Church has seen in decades: There's no front-runner, no indication how long voting will last and no sense that a single man has what it takes to fix the many problems. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho) ( Vatican Pope )
Cardinals attend a Mass for the election of a new pope celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) ( Vatican Pope )
This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on March 12, 2013 shows the doors of the Sistine chapel being closed at the start of a papal election election. Cardinals began a conclave under Michelangelo's famous frescoes in the Sistine Chapel to elect a successor to Benedict XVI, with the odds favoring another Western conservative as pope. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO ( 518106995 )
The Catholic Church's 115 cardinal electors take part in a mass in St. Peter's Basilica, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, ahead of entering the conclave for a papal election that observers say has no clear favorite. The Pro Eligendo Romano Pontefice ("For the Election of the Roman Pontiff") mass is presided by Angelo Sodano, the elderly dean of the College of Cardinals, and is also open to non-voting cardinals - those aged more than 80. (Evandro Inetti/Zuma Press/MCT) ( WORLD NEWS RELIG-POPE 3 ZUM )
In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, cardinals, in red, and faithful attend a Mass for the election of a new pope celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to elect the next pope amid more upheaval and uncertainty than the Catholic Church has seen in decades. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho) ( Vatican Pope )
A pilgrim kneels in St. Peter's Square during a mass at St. Peter's Basilica attended by cardinals before sequestering themselves in the Sistine Chapel for the conclave to elect the next pope at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) ( APTOPIX Vatican Pope )
In this image made from video provided by Vatican CTV television, Italian Cardinal Angelo Scola, right, takes an oath of secrecy inside the Sistine Chapel, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, before the start of the conclave to elect the 266th Roman Catholic Church pope. Behind Scola are Cardinals Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, of Nigeria, Gabriel Zubeir Wako, of Sudan, and Carlos Amigo Vallejo, of Spain. (AP Photo/CTV via APTV) ( Vatican Pope )
Silhouettes of statues on St Peter's square during the conclave on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. Cardinals moved into the Vatican today as the suspense mounted ahead of a secret papal election with no clear frontrunner to steer the Catholic world through troubled waters after Benedict XVI's historic resignation. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images ( 518106137 )
Cardinals attend the Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice Mass at St Peter's Basilica, before they enter the conclave to decide who the next pope will be, on March 12, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. Cardinals are set to enter the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI after he became the first pope in 600 years to resign from the role. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) ( 163552310 )
A nun prays inside St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to elect the next pope amid more upheaval and uncertainty than the Catholic Church has seen in decades: (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) ( Vatican Pope )
Brazilian Cardinal Odilo Schrerer attends the Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice Mass at St Peter's Basilica, before they enter the conclave to decide who the next pope will be, on March 12, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. Cardinals are set to enter the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI after he became the first pope in 600 years to resign from the role. T (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) ( 163555756 )
Two nuns sit in St. Peter's Square on March 12, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI's successor is being chosen by the College of Cardinals in Conclave in the Sistine Chapel. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) ( 163558033 )
Cardinals attend the Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice Mass at St Peter's Basilica, before they enter the conclave to decide who the next pope will be, on March 12, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) ( 163555764 )
People gather in St Peter's Square to watch large screens displaying live footage from inside the Sistine Chapel as Cardinals prepare for the first day of the conclave on March 12, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) ( 163560071 )
An assistant holds a candle during a mass at the St Peter's basilica before the conclave on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images ( 518099867 )
People gather in St Peter's Square to watch large screens displaying live footage from inside the Sistine Chapel as Cardinals prepare for the first day of the conclave on March 12, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) ( 163560078 )
A group of nuns join hundreds of others as they await news of whether the College of Cardinals have elected a new Pope in St. Peter's Square on March 12, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) ( 163562285 )
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, of the United States, attends a Mass for the election of a new pope celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) ( Vatican Pope )
People stand in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) ( Vatican Pope )
US cardinal Justin Francis Rigali (R) attends a mass at the St Peter's basilica before the conclave on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images ( 518098321 )
US cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan attends a mass at the St Peter's basilica before the conclave on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images ( 518098340 )
A cardinal holds his berretta during a mass at the St Peter's basilica before the conclave on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images ( 518099829 )
Photographers take pictures of a barefoot faithful at St Peter's square during the conclave on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO /GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images ( 518105387 )
This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on March 12, 2013 shows cardinals following a grand mass at the St Peter's basilica before the start of a papal election conclave on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO-/AFP/Getty Images ( 518103441 )
A picture shows St Peter's square before the conclave on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO / TIZIANA FABI/AFP/Getty Images ( 518105919 )
People wait on St Peter's square during the conclave on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images ( 518106060 )
In this image taken from video provided by CTV, a cardinal places his hands on the Gospel to "promise pledge and swear" to keep the oath of secrecy after entering the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City for the conclave to elect the next pope Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/CTV) ( Vatican Pope )
People gather at St Peter's square during the conclave on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO / TIZIANA FABI/AFP/Getty Images ( 518106757 )
People gather at St Peter's square during the conclave on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images ( 518106805 )
This handout picture released by the Press office shows cardinals arriving at the Sistine Chapel before the start of the conclave at the Vatican on March 12, 2013. “AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"-/AFP/Getty Images ( 518106961 )
This handout picture released by the Press office shows cardinals arriving at the Sistine Chapel before the start of the conclave at the Vatican on March 12, 2013. “AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"-/AFP/Getty Images ( 518106970 )
This handout picture released by the Press office shows cardinals arriving at the Sistine Chapel before the start of the conclave at the Vatican on March 12, 2013. “AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"-/AFP/Getty Images ( 518106983 )
This handout picture released by the Press office shows cardinals arriving at the Sistine Chapel before the start of the conclave at the Vatican on March 12, 2013. “AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"-/AFP/Getty Images ( 518107033 )
This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on March 12, 2013 shows the doors of the Sistine chapel being closed at the start of a papal election election. “AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"-/AFP/Getty Images ( 518107037 )
This handout picture released by the Press office shows cardinals arriving at the Sistine Chapel with the chimney in the background before the start of the conclave at the Vatican on March 12, 2013. “AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"-/AFP/Getty Images ( 518107064 )
Cardinal Angelo Sodano celebrates a Mass for the election of a new pope inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) ( Vatican Pope )
People watch on a video monitor in St. Peter's Square as Monsignor Guido Marini, master of liturgical ceremonies, closes the double doors to the Sistine Chapel after shouting "Extra omnes," Latin for "all out," telling everyone but those taking part in the conclave to leave the frescoed hall. He then locked it at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) ( Vatican Pope )
In this image made from video provided by Vatican CTV television, Brazilian Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, of Brazil, right, takes an oath of secrecy inside the Sistine Chapel, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, before the start of the conclave to elect the 266th Roman Catholic Church pope. Behind Scherer are Cardinals John Njue, of Kenya, Raul Eduardo Vela Chiriboga, of Ecuador, and Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, of the Democratic Republic of Congo. (AP Photo/CTV via APTV) ( Vatican Pope )
In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, cardinals, in red, attend a Mass for the election of a new pope celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho) ( Vatican Pope )
In this image made from video provided by Vatican CTV television, US Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, right, takes an oath of secrecy inside the Sistine Chapel, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, before the start of the conclave to elect the 266th Roman Catholic Church pope. Behind O'Malley are Cardinals Stanislaw Dziwisz, of Poland, Carlo Caffara, of Italy, Sean Baptist Brady, of Ireland, and Lluis Martinez Sistach, of Spain. (AP Photo/CTV via APTV) ( Vatican Pope )
US Cardinal Timothy Dolan, left, shares a word with Cardinal John Tong Hon, of Hong Kong, as they attend a Mass for the election of a new pope celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) ( Vatican Pope )
In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, cardinals, in red, attend a Mass for the election of a new pope celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho) ( Vatican Pope )
Cardinal Donald William Wuerl, of the United States, attends a Mass for the election of a new pope celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) ( Vatican Pope )
A picture shows statues on the St Peter's basilica during the conclave on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images ( 518106849 )
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