Vatican
City, 12 March 2013
(VIS) – This morning started a little later than usual in the
Vatican. At 7:00am the first faithful starting arriving at St.
Peter's on foot. The 115 Cardinal electors were already within the
City State's walls. Each one carried his small suitcase and took the
functional but austere room that had been assigned to, not chosen by,
them at the Domus Sanctae Marthae. The
largest one remains vacant. The one they choose as Pope, the 266th
successor of Peter, will live and work there until the papal
apartments are made ready for him.
In
St. Peter's Square, in front of the Basilica's facade, an enormous
platform has been erected for the world's major broadcasters.
Permanently accredited correspondents work from their desks within
the Holy See's Press Office in Via della Conciliazione. Nearby,
another building has been wired for all the media that is arriving
for the occasion: the Media Centre, which currently occupies the
spacious lobby of the Paul VI Hall. So far, more than 5,600
journalists have been accredited for the occasion. The terrace on the
Charlemagne Wing of Bernini's colonnade around St. Peter's Square has
also been taken over by journalists. On the ground and in the most
varied places you will find many who are connected through social
networks, the “digital continent”, linking the entire world. They
are all focused on the spot that Vatican Television has aimed a fixed
camera at: the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel where a black or
white puff of smoke will emerge.
Precisely
at 10:00am, with St. Peter's Basilica beautifully lit, the “pro
eligendo Romano Pontifice” Mass began. Presided by the Italian
Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, the over
one hundred cardinals gathered concelebrated, Cardinal electors as
well as those over 80, representing all of the populated continents
of the globe. The celebration was open to all the faithful who wished
to attend as well as members of the diplomatic corps of the 179
countries with which the Holy See maintains ties. Each held the Mass
booklet, either collected at the entrance or downloaded from the
Vatican website.
After
the readings, the first was given in English and the second in
Spanish, Cardinal Sodano delivered his homily. It was interrupted
with a long applause when the cardinal referred to Pope Emeritus
Benedict XVI, thanking him for his eight years of fruitful service to
the Church. Cardinal Sodano asked the cardinals to work together to
contribute to the unity of the Church. Together with unity he spoke
of charity, asking them to “ceaselessly work to promote Justice and
Peace”.
The
multilingual Mass also included Mass parts in Latin, and Prayers of
the Faithful in French, Swahili, Portuguese, Malay, and German.
During the offertory procession the choir sang a motet by Italian
Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.
The
ceremony concluded after an hour and a half. Outside the sun shone,
it rained, loud thunder was heard, none of which discouraged the
hundreds of persons who were following the Mass inside on the six
jumbo screens installed around the square.
At
1:30pm, the Cardinal electors ate lunch at the Domus Sanctae
Marthae. Already beginning now, the only people who they will have
contact with are those who will ensure their safety, domestic staff,
and the minibus drivers who will ferry them back and forth from the
Sistine Chapel to the Domus.
At
3:45pm, the cardinals will return to the Apostolic Palace. They will
begin their procession to the Sistine Chapel from the Pauline Chapel
singing “Veni Creator Spiritus”, invoking the assistance of the
Holy Spirit. They will take the oath in which they promise to
maintain the secrecy of the proceedings. When the Master of
Ceremonies pronounces the phrase “Extra omnes” all those not
taking part will leave the chapel, its doors will be shut, and the
Conclave will begin.
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