Spanish
Vatican City.- The cardinals who will participate from this Wednesday in the conclave to elect the successor of Pope Francis finished this morning the mass 'Pro Eligendo Pontifice' and will now have lunch together before locking themselves in the Sistine Chapel.
The Mass was celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican by the Dean Cardinal, Giovanni Battista Re, who urged in his homily to preserve the unity of the church, before the cardinals themselves and other Catholic prelates, as well as about 5,000 faithful.
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After the Eucharist, the 133 cardinals entitled to vote in the conclave, being under 80 years old, must remain within the Vatican territory as they are forbidden to leave it and communicate with anyone outside until they have elected a new pontiff.
Specifically, the cardinals returned to the Casa Santa Marta residence, where they will sleep during the conclave, for lunch. This will be the first meal that will bring together all the voters, which may give rise to debates or conversations.
After lunch, the cardinals have been summoned at 16:15 local time (14:15 GMT) in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace and then will process to the nearby Sistine Chapel to enclose themselves and carry out the first vote.
The result of it, as tradition dictates, will be announced to the outside world with smoke from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel: if it is white, they will have elected a new pope; if, on the other hand, it is black, the conclave must continue.
The 'fumata' (smoke) from this first vote is expected to occur from 19:00 local time (17:00 GMT).
