Cardinals Head To Conclave To Elect The Next Pope

During the secret conclave, the cardinals will be banned from communicating with the outside world. Wi-Fi will also be blocked throughout Vatican City.

By
Michael Rusch
by Michael Rusch

BuzzFeed News Reporter

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

American Cardinals walk to a bus to take them from the North American College to St. Peter’s Basilica where a Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice Mass will be celebrated before they enter the Conclave to decide who the next pope will be.

(Reuters) - Roman Catholic cardinals gather under the gaze of Michelangelo's "Last Judgment" on Tuesday to elect a new pope to tackle the daunting problems facing the 1.2-billion-member Church at one of the most difficult periods in its history.

The 115 cardinal electors aged under 80 began moving early on Tuesday into the Vatican's Santa Martha hotel, where they will live during the conclave, which starts in the afternoon.

Under an early morning drizzle and to the applause and waves of seminarians, eight of the 11 American cardinal electors left the North American College seminary in a minibus bound for the Vatican to join the other three who already in Rome.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

American Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan gestures before boarding a bus to take him and other Cardinals from the North American College to St. Peter's Basilica.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Seminarians at the North American College line the road to watch as a bus takes the American Cardinals to St. Peter's Basilica where a Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice Mass will be celebrated before the Cardinals enter the Conclave.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Seminarians at the North American College line the road to watch as a bus takes the American Cardinals to St. Peter's Basilica.

Eric Reguly @ereguly

March of the Cardinals into San Pietro mass before conclave start. One will be pope this week. http://t.co/tNKSjwjn1x

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March of the Cardinals into San Pietro mass before conclave start. One will be pope this week. http://t.co/tNKSjwjn1x-- Eric Reguly

Catholic News Svc @CatholicNewsSvc

Cardinal Sodano http://t.co/YEoardnvjc

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Cardinal Sodano http://t.co/YEoardnvjc-- Catholic News Svc

Catholic News Svc @CatholicNewsSvc

Congregation erupts in applause for Pope Benedict XVI

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Congregation erupts in applause for Pope Benedict XVI-- Catholic News Svc

Eric Reguly @ereguly

From this San Pietro balcony, a cardinal will this week say Habemus Papum. http://t.co/FEmbNCwmfG

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From this San Pietro balcony, a cardinal will this week say Habemus Papum. http://t.co/FEmbNCwmfG-- Eric Reguly

How The New Pope Is Elected:

Twitter: @weeddude

Geography Of The Conclave:

pewforum.org
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