The 90 staff who will assist at the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict
XVI are being sworn in at the the Vatican. These technical, catering and transport staff will assist the 114 cardinal electors who will gather at the Sistine Chapel for the first time at 4.30 tomorrow.
Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who is entitled to take
part in such conclaves until March 17th 2018, when he will be 80, has
decided not to take part this week.
He resigned as Archbishop of St
Andrew’s and Edinburgh earlier this month when it emerged he had behaved
inappropriately with four siminarians, three of who are priests and one
of whom has left the priesthood.
Earlier this afternoon the final and 10th
general congregation of the College of Cardinals concluded at the Paul
VI hall in the Vatican.
The 152 cardinals present heard a report on the
Vatican bank from its president and Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone
while the remainder of the session was taken up with discussion on
qualities required in the next Pope.
Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi
said at a press conference this afternoon that 28 cardinals spoke at
this morning’s general congregation, bringing the total of interventions
by cardinals in the 10 such congregations to 161.
Tomorrow morning the pre-conlave Mass will take
place at 10 o’clock be in St Peter’s Basilica where the homily will be
delivered by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinals Angelo
Sodano.
The 114 cardinal electors will arrive in the
Sistine chapel at 4.30 p.m. where each will swear an oath individually
on the bible to preserve the secrecy of proceedings.
The first vote and
only vote of the day will take place tomorrow evening with smoke
expected from the Sistine chimney at 8 p.m. It is not expected to be
white.
It was disclosed at today’s press conference
that 5,600 media from around the world have been accredited to report on
this conclave.