Final mass for Cardinals before voting begins for new pope (GALLERY)

Mar 12 2013 By Cheryl Mullin

CARDINALS were celebrating a final Mass today before sequestering themselves in the Sistine Chapel for the conclave to elect the next pope.

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals, was leading today’s Mass in St Peter’s Basilica even though he is too old to vote.

This afternoon, 115 cardinals will file into the frescoed Sistine Chapel singing the Litany of Saints, a hypnotic Gregorian chant imploring the intercession of saints to help them choose a pope.

They will hear a meditation by an elderly Maltese cardinal, take an oath of secrecy, and then cast their first ballots.

The first puffs of smoke are expected to emerge from the chapel chimney by 8pm – black for no pope, white if a pope has been chosen.

Show Caption

This picture shows the three sizes of garments and shoe boxes awaiting the election of a new pope in a room next to the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican
A peek inside the Sistine Chapel where the cardinals will be sitting during the conclave voting, at the Vatican
A peek inside the Sistine Chapel where the cardinals will be sitting during the conclave voting, at the Vatican
A nun walks inside St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican as the Cardinals gather for their final day of talks before the conclave to elect the next pope
Reporters film and take pictures of the stoves where the ballots will be burned during the conclave, inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican
A view of the Sistine Chapel, at the Vatican. Firefighters have installed the top of the Sistine Chapel chimney that will signal to the world a new pope has been elected. Meanwhile construction workers were preparing the chapel interior for the start of the papal conclave
A view of the Sistine Chapel where the papal conclave will sit
A view of the Sistine Chapel where the papal conclave will sit
A view of the Sistine Chapel, at the Vatican. Firefighters have installed the top of the Sistine Chapel chimney that will signal to the world a new pope has been elected. Meanwhile construction workers were preparing the chapel interior for the start of the papal conclave
The chapel of Vatican's Santa Marta hotel where the cardinals will be sequestered once the conclave begins
The suite at the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel, where the newly elected pope will stay for a few weeks while his apartment in the Apostolic Palace is renovated
The Vatican's Santa Marta hotel where the cardinals will be sequestered once the conclave begins
The Vatican's Santa Marta hotel where the cardinals will be sequestered once the conclave begins
The Vatican's Santa Marta hotel where the cardinals will be sequestered once the conclave begins
The suite at the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel, where the newly elected pope will stay for a few weeks while his apartment in the Apostolic Palace is renovated
The suite at the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel, where the newly elected pope will stay for a few weeks while his apartment in the Apostolic Palace is renovated
The suite at the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel, where the newly elected pope will stay for a few weeks while his apartment in the Apostolic Palace is renovated
The bedroom of the suite at the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel where the newly elected pope will stay for a few weeks while his apartments in the Apostolic Palace are being renovated
The bedroom of the suite at the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel where the newly elected pope will stay for a few weeks while his apartments in the Apostolic Palace are being renovated
The suite at the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel, where the newly elected pope will stay for a few weeks while his apartment in the Apostolic Palace is renovated
A firefighter places the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, where cardinals will gather to elect the new pope, at the Vatican
Firefighters place the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, where cardinals will gather to elect the new pope, at the Vatican