VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As expected, the 133 cardinals who entered the Sistine Chapel May 7 failed to elect the next pope on their first ballot. 

After celebrating Mass for the election of a pope, processing into the Sistine Chapel and swearing a solemn oath of perpetual secrecy on the conclave proceedings, the cardinal electors cast their first ballot in the conclave.

The ballot, however, failed to reach the two-thirds supermajority, or 89 votes, that is required for a new pope to be elected. With the largest number of cardinal electors ever to vote in a conclave, and therefore the most votes to count, the black smoke arrived two hours later than the expected 7 p.m. Rome time. 

Only one ballot was cast on the first day of the conclave. On following days, up to four ballots are cast each day. If, after three days of voting, they have not elected anyone, the cardinals can take a maximum on one day for prayer and informal discussion.

Pope Benedict XIV was elected on the fourth ballot of the 2005 conclave and Pope Francis was elected on the fifth ballot of the conclave in 2013.

An estimated 30,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square the first evening of the conclave even though they did not expect to see white smoke emerging from a chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a pope had been elected.

Many were carrying flags -- pilgrims waved the flags of the Philippines, Brazil, the United States and Nicaragua among others. 

Maggie Popp from North Dakota, who was in St. Peter's Square with her husband and two young children, told Catholic News Service that she planned to watch the smoke each night. 

"We're here as a family because it feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity," she said. "We live here in Rome, so we figured it would be a great opportunity to bring our little boys to experience this, even if they won't remember, and ultimately pray for whoever it is that we're going to receive as a new Holy Father."

Gabrielle Estrada from San Antonio, Texas, extended her trip through Europe to be in Rome for the conclave. "I grew up Catholic, so I remember watching the smoke on the TV growing up and thought it would be so cool to be here."

As a young adult, she said, "I'm curious to see how he is going to incorporate young adults."

Often, she said, "this is the time that people stray away from her faith, and I would love to see him put emphasis on that age group and get us excited about the history of our faith and everything that comes with it."

"Rome, right now, is the center of the universe," said Father Anthony Saiki, a priest of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, while gesturing at the throngs of people gathered in St. Peter's Square. "In this moment, the church is incredibly united."

"If anybody doubts the relevance of the faith, if anybody doubts the relevance of the Catholic Church," he told CNS, "all eyes are on the church right now, all eyes are looking for the next successor of Peter, so it's a moment of hope, it's a moment of excitement and joy."

U.S. pilgrims wait for new pope

Invoking the help of the Holy Spirit and recognizing that millions of people all over the world were praying for them, 133 cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel with a singular goal: to elect "a worthy pastor" for the universal church.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Invoking the help of the Holy Spirit and recognizing that millions of people all over the world were praying for them, 133 cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel with a singular goal: to elect "a worthy pastor" for the universal church.

Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the top-ranking cardinal among the electors, led the cardinals in prayer at 4:30 p.m. May 7 in the Apostolic Palace's Pauline Chapel, just a short distance from the Sistine Chapel.

"The whole church, united with us in prayer, insistently invokes the grace of the Holy Spirit so that a worthy pastor for the whole flock of Christ would be elected by us," he told them.

"May the Lord direct our steps on the path of truth so that, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the holy apostles Peter and Paul and all the saints, we may always do what is pleasing to him," the cardinal prayed.

Behind altar servers carrying a cross and candles, priests assisting the cardinals processed toward the Sistine Chapel. The cardinals, walking two-by-two, followed in the reverse order of their rank within the College of Cardinals. Indian Cardinal George J. Koovakad and Italian Cardinal Fabio Baggio -- cardinal deacons created by Pope Francis in December -- were the first cardinals to cross the chapel's threshold. 

Only cardinals under the age of 80 were eligible to enter the conclave, but it still was the largest group of cardinal electors ever assembled. In 1975, St. Paul VI set a limit of 120 cardinal electors and ruled that cardinals over the age of 80 could not enter a conclave. When he died in 1978, 111 cardinals elected Pope John Paul I; there also were 111 electors at the 1978 conclave that chose St. John Paul II. After he died in 2005, 115 electors chose Pope Benedict XVI and when he resigned in 2013, there also were 115 cardinals in the conclave that elected Pope Francis.

Entering the Sistine Chapel to elect Pope Francis' successor, Cardinal Koovakad and the other cardinals from the Eastern Catholic churches wore their traditions' "choral habit." The Latin-rite cardinals were dressed in red cassocks with a white rochet over top, a mozzetta (a short cape), their pectoral crosses, a zucchetto (skull cap) and a biretta, the three-cornered red hat they received when they were made cardinals.

The cardinal electors began their walk to the Sistine Chapel chanting the Litany of Saints, which started with prayers that God would have pity on them. They then invoked the saints, archangels and ancient biblical prophets to pray for them. They pleaded for the aid of Christ, asking for his mercy and protection. They also prayed for those who have died and those threatened by hunger and war.

The cardinals asked God to give the world peace, to "comfort and enlighten" the church, help Christians reconcile with each other and to lead all people to the truth of the Gospel.

Once in the chapel, they called on the help of the Holy Spirit by singing the ancient hymn, "Veni Creator Spiritus" ("Come, Creator Spirit"). 

Then the cardinals from more than 70 countries vowed that, if elected pope, they would faithfully fulfill the ministry of universal pastor of the church and would defend the rights and freedom of the Holy See.

They also solemnly swore to scrupulously follow the rules for the election of a pope and keep secret the results of the votes, unless they have express permission from the new pope to reveal details.

After reciting the oath together, each cardinal walked up to the Book of the Gospels, put his right hand on it, said his name and sealed his oath, "So help me God and these holy Gospels that I touch with my hand."

The Book of the Gospels was open to the page with Matthew 4:12-23, which recounts Jesus calling his first disciples.

Cardinal Parolin took the oath first, followed by the cardinals in order of rank, ending with Cardinal Koovakad. 

The portion broadcast by Vatican Media ended with Archbishop Diego Ravelli, master of papal liturgical ceremonies, saying, "Extra omnes," ordering out everyone not authorized to remain. The ceremony lasted about 75 minutes.

However, 90-year-old Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, the retired preacher of the papal household, stayed behind. Before the conclave, the cardinals had chosen him to give a meditation "on the problems facing the church" and "on the need for careful discernment in choosing the new pope."

The average age of the 133 cardinals was just over 70, slightly younger than the average age of electors who participated in the last conclave, in 2013, when the average age was close to 72.

Ten U.S. cardinals were among those filing into the Sistine Chapel: Cardinals Raymond L. Burke, retired prefect of the Apostolic Signature; Blase J. Cupich of Chicago; Daniel N. DiNardo, retired archbishop of Galveston-Houston; Timothy M. Dolan of New York; Kevin J. Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life under Pope Francis; Wilton D. Gregory, retired archbishop of Washington; James M. Harvey, archpriest of Rome's Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls; Robert W. McElroy of Washington; Robert F. Prevost, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops under Pope Francis; and Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey.
 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- At Mass before the conclave that will elect the next pope, the dean of the College of Cardinals urged his brothers to choose the shepherd the church and all of humanity need "at this difficult and complex and tormented" turning point in history.

"Today's world expects much from the church regarding the safeguarding of those fundamental human and spiritual values without which human coexistence will not be better nor bring good to future generations," Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the college, said in his homily.

He prayed that Mary would intercede, and the Holy Spirit would enlighten the cardinal electors "and help them agree on the pope that our time needs."

The Mass in St. Peter's Basilica May 7 was the last public event before 133 cardinals from 71 countries were to enter the Sistine Chapel to elect the 267th pope and Pope Francis' successor. Only cardinals under the age of 80 were eligible to enter the conclave. 

Cardinal Re, 91, presided over the Mass "Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice" ("for the election of the Roman pontiff") with some 220 other cardinals, including those who would be entering the conclave that afternoon. The prayers and readings made frequent reference to the need to choose a good pastor.

At the start of the Mass, as the choir sang verses of joy and thanks to the Lord from the Psalms, the cardinals processed up the main aisle of the basilica, wearing red vestments.

They listened as Cardinal Re, who headed the Vatican's then-Congregation for Bishops and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America from 2000 to 2010, underlined the seriousness of the task before them and the qualities every pope -- the successor of St. Peter -- must embody.

"We are here to invoke the help of the Holy Spirit, to implore his light and strength," he said, "so that the pope elected may be he whom the church and humanity need at this difficult and complex and tormented turning point in history."

"To pray, by invoking the Holy Spirit, is the only right and proper attitude to take as the cardinal electors prepare to undertake an act of the highest human and ecclesial responsibility and to make a choice of exceptional importance," he said. 

"This is a human act for which every personal consideration must be set aside, keeping in mind and heart only the God of Jesus Christ and the good of the church and of humanity," the cardinal warned.

Jesus gave his disciples a "new" commandment, "that you love one another as I have loved you," he said; that kind of love is one so great and boundless that it includes laying down one's life for one's friends.

All of his Jesus' disciples must always show his same "authentic love in their behavior and commit themselves to building a new civilization" of love, he said, because "love is the only force capable of changing the world."

This kind of love can be surprising, he said, like when Jesus humbly washed the feet of the apostles, "without discrimination, and not excluding Judas, who would betray him."

In fact, the fundamental quality of a shepherd "is love to the point of complete self-giving," Cardinal Re said.

The pre-conclave Mass and its readings invited the world's cardinals "to fraternal love, to mutual help and to commitment to ecclesial communion and universal human fraternity," he said.

The shepherd of the universal church has numerous responsibilities, Cardinal Re said, including fostering communion: "communion of all Christians with Christ; communion of the bishops with the pope; communion of the bishops among themselves"; and a communion "that is entirely directed toward communion among persons, peoples and cultures."

"This is also a strong call to maintain the unity of the church on the path traced out by Christ to the apostles," he said. This unity "does not mean uniformity, but a firm and profound communion in diversity provided that full fidelity to the Gospel is always maintained." 

"Let us pray, then, that the Holy Spirit, who in the last hundred years has given us a series of truly holy and great pontiffs, will give us a new pope according to God's heart for the good of the church and of humanity," the cardinal said.

"Let us pray that God will grant the church a pope who knows how best to awaken the consciences of all and awaken the moral and spiritual energies in today's society, characterized by great technological progress but which tends to forget God," he said.

Cardinal Re reminded the cardinal electors that as they sit praying and voting in the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's "image of Jesus the judge" would be "looming" over them.

In a poem St. John Paul II expressed his hope "that during the hours of voting on this weighty decision," that image would remind them of "the greatness of the responsibility of placing the 'supreme keys' in the correct hands," he said.

Some five hours after the opening Mass, the cardinals were to process into the Sistine Chapel, swear an oath to uphold the conclave rules, listen to a final reflection and -- if they chose to do so -- conduct the first ballot.

The cardinals had been meeting almost daily for two weeks to discuss the practical affairs of the papal transition period, the challenges faced by the church and to consider potential candidates for the papacy.

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Reporting by CNS Rome is made possible by the Catholic Communication Campaign. Give to the CCC special collection in your diocese May 10-11 or any time at: https://bit.ly/CCC-give

Cardinals pray for the right pope

Cardinals gathered for a final Mass in St. Peter's Basilica May 7, 2025, before the start of the conclave to elect the new pope. The main celebrant, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, reminded the cardinals of the seriousness of the decision that they...

ROME (CNS) -- In a full church on a Monday evening in Rome, just two days before the conclave to elect a new pope was set to begin, Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington shared a confidence: "I have no guess" who will be chosen.

Like many cardinals did the previous day, Cardinal McElroy celebrated Mass May 5 at his titular church in Rome, the Parish of St. Frumentius. Having the "title" to the parish made the cardinal a member of the clergy of Rome in a symbolic sense and connected him to ancient times when the cardinals who elected popes were pastors of the city's parishes.

In the cardinal's brief homily in Italian, he referred to the first reading, Acts 6:8-15, which recounts the accusations made against St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

In two days, the cardinal said, "the other cardinals and I will enter the conclave to elect a new bishop for this city that knew thousands and thousands of martyrs."

"We pray that the new pope will lead people to a more profound faith and a closer relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit," he said. 

Father Marco Vianello, pastor of St. Frumentius, spoke at the end of Mass and, to applause, told Cardinal McElroy, "We cannot vote in the conclave. But if we could, we would vote for you."

After 10 general congregation meetings of the College of Cardinals, when members discuss the needs of the church and the qualities the next pope should have, Cardinal McElroy said "it has become ever clearer to me how profound and mysterious this process is, to find a successor to Peter who meets the needs of the present."

"I can give you no insights into who is ahead," the cardinal continued. "Not because I cannot do so because of my promise, although I can't, but because I have no guess."

Cardinal McElroy told parishioners that entering the conclave to elect a new pope "is a tremendous responsibility and also a great mystery," however, he guaranteed them that all the cardinals are committed to choosing the best new bishop of the Diocese of Rome and pastor of the universal church.

Turning to the three dozen teenagers seated in the last rows of the choir loft adjacent to the sanctuary, the cardinal said that love and concern for young people has been at the center of the cardinals' prayers and "they are wrestling with what the church needs" to help them and all people feel at home in the church.
 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As the College of Cardinals continues to discuss the church's most pressing issues before the conclave, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors said it was encouraged that protecting children and vulnerable people was a priority in those discussions.

In a statement published May 5, the commission called for prayers for the cardinals and said its members stand with "the People of God in a plea for discernment guided by the Holy Spirit -- and shaped by the cries of those harmed by abuse within the church."

"We pray for Cardinals who carry the grave responsibility of choosing the next successor of Peter, that they may be guided by courage, humility and a commitment to safeguarding," the statement read.

The issue of clerical sexual abuse was among the discussions at sever of the general congregation meetings, according to daily reports by Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office.

Bruni said a cardinal urged his brothers to face the issue "as a 'wound' to be kept 'open,' so that awareness of the problem remains alive and concrete paths for its healing can be identified." 

"We are heartened by the fact that the protection of children and vulnerable people from abuse have been a priority for the cardinals present in Rome in discussions leading up to the conclave," the commission said. "The church's credibility depends on real accountability, transparency and action rooted in justice."

Advocates for victims and survivors have expressed concern regarding several possible candidates to succeed Pope Francis, who died April 21, criticizing them for their records on handling abuse cases.

However, the presence of Peruvian Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, the retired archbishop of Lima, at the general congregations drew heavy criticism. At 81, the cardinal is ineligible to vote at the conclave.

In January, following a report by the Spanish newspaper El Pais, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed that disciplinary measures against Cardinal Cipriani were still in effect after he was accused of abusing an unnamed victim in 1983.

The Peruvian bishops' conference issued a statement in support of victims and called the restrictions on Cardinal Cipriani "a wise decision."

In an interview with El Pais, the cardinal's accuser expressed shock at his presence at the general congregation "because he was supposedly barred from public appearances."

By showing up at the meeting, the victim said, the cardinal was "mocking the church."

"The message is that the pope has died and the party is back," the victim said.

When asked April 30 about Cardinal Cipriani's presence at the pre-conclave meetings, Bruni said the apostolic constitution, "Universi Dominici Gregis" ("Shepherd of the Lord's Whole Flock"), made it clear that all cardinals, with the exception of those with impediments such as illness, were called to participate at the general congregations. 

The following is the text of the prayer released by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors:

Dear Lord,

Let your Holy Spirit descend upon the cardinals gathered in your name. As they prayerfully discern the successor of St. Peter, may they give priority to the safeguarding and protection of the people of God and the importance of effective policies and procedures.

May they contemplate their responsibility for the children, women and men who have been harmed in the life of the Church. May they not fail to fulfill the sacred mission of responsibility for the people of God. Holy Spirit, guide the hearts of those entrusted with discernment. Let no concern of scandal obscure the urgency of truth. Let no consideration for reputation impede our paramount responsibility to take action on behalf of those who have been abused.

Inspire our cardinals to be leaders for protection and safeguarding, defenders of the innocent, and advocates for the abused. Inspire a conversion to safeguarding to accountability, transparency and protection of the vulnerable. May they embrace the priority of accountability for rigorous policies and procedures and disciplinary measures.

We pray for the shepherds of evangelization and their responsibility to ensure transparency and justice for all those harmed in the life of the Church. Inspire them to accountability for safeguarding, protection and action in support of the people of God.

We pray that our cardinals uphold the trust placed in them. Lead them to be vigilant shepherds, defenders of the defenseless and true disciples of your Son, in whose name we pray.

Amen.
 

WASHINGTON – “Continue to speak the truth, and treat every human being with dignity,” said Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) while hosting a meeting on May 1 with religious leaders from Ukraine. The USCCB welcomed representatives of The Ukrainian Council of the Churches of Religious Organizations (UCCRO) to Washington in a show of solidarity with their war-torn country.

The Ukrainian religious leaders spoke about indiscriminate bombing of churches, illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia, and religious persecution in the occupied territories. They expressed great gratitude for the prayers and aid of the American people and asked for continued help with sharing the truth about what is happening in Ukraine. 

Bishop Vitaliy Kryvytskyi of the Diocese of Kyiv-Zhytomyr said, “We really have felt the solidarity of the Church in the USA, and we never cease to pray for you. Now we are asking the Church to be on the side of the truth, and not to allow a false narrative to prevail in the current political climate. For us it is ‘war’ not a ‘conflict.’ This is one example of how we see things have shifted.” 

In response, Archbishop Broglio encouraged the Ukrainians to continue their authentic witness of Biblical values -- “to speak the truth, even when not politically expedient, respect fundamental human rights and treat every human person with dignity, even Russian prisoners of war.”

Another member of the delegation, Bishop Igor Bandura, deputy head of the All-Ukrainian Union of the Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, gave testimony to the power of prayer as “the most powerful weapon,” and asked for continued prayers.

The Kyiv-based council which includes Christians, Jews, and Muslims, was organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

###

ROME (CNS) -- An AI-generated image of U.S. President Donald Trump dressed as the pope "was not good," Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York said in Rome.

"I hope he didn't have anything to do with that," he told reporters before he entered Our Lady of Guadalupe Church where he celebrated Mass May 4.

The picture, featuring Trump wearing a white cassock and miter traditionally worn by a pope, was first shared on the president's @realDonaldTrump account on TruthSocial.com and then shared by official White House social media accounts May 3. Trump had also told a reporter April 29, "I'd like to be pope."

Cardinal Dolan was asked if he was offended by the image. "Well, you know, it wasn't good. The Italians say, 'brutta figura,'" he said, meaning, it made a "bad impression."

The cardinal was celebrating Mass at his "titular" parish. When prelates are made cardinals, they are assigned a "titular" church in Rome, which makes them members of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome.

The small church in the hilltop district of Monte Mario was full of parishioners, visitors and the press.

Msgr. Gianfranco Mammoli, the parish priest, thanked the cardinal for his visit and noted the importance of the day's Gospel reading (John 21:1-19) as the world's cardinals were gathered in Rome to choose the next pope. 

Jesus did not give Simon Peter clear directions on how to build or lead his church after his death and resurrection, Msgr. Mammoli said in his introductory remarks. All that Jesus said, was "Do you love me?"

In a few days, Cardinal Dolan and others will have the task of choosing the successor of Peter -- the leader of the universal church and the bishop of Rome, the monsignor said.

"Someone will be chosen, not because he is prepared," but because he loves Jesus with all his heart and will answer his call to follow Jesus and feed his sheep, he said.

In his homily, given in Italian, Cardinal Dolan asked everyone to pray for him and all the cardinals as they prepare to begin the conclave May 7 to choose the next pope. "I need the light of the Holy Spirit."

The cardinal focused his homily on the Gospel reading and how Jesus gathers his disciples to share a meal.

Every Sunday Mass is the people of God -- the Lord's disciples -- coming together to share a meal with the Lord, he said. It is a spiritual "meal" shared as a family with the Holy Mother Church.

Remarking that "Pope Francis loved to say and often would say to us priests" to keep homilies short, the cardinal said, "OK, that's it!" keeping his talk to under five minutes.

As the congregation laughed, Cardinal Dolan asked if their priest keeps his homilies brief, to which they said, "Yes!"

The cardinal processed to the back of the church and stood outside the front door so he could greet and chat with all the parishioners as they filed out. He answered questions, reminded people to pray for him, posed for selfies and invited people to come to New York City and visit him at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Meeting again with reporters after the Mass, he emphasized the importance of prayer, saying Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, told the cardinals to "make sure you ask the people to pray for us because we need it very, very much."

He said the cardinals are "still getting to know one another," and it helps that this is his second conclave.

When he participated as a 63-year-old, recently-elevated cardinal in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, he said he was "so nervous" and wasn't sure what to do.

"But now I feel kind of seasoned, a little more relaxed," he said.

"Will there be a Francis II," he was asked. "Let's hope so" because it is needed, he said.

When asked what characteristics he would like to see in the next pope, he said it was important the pope always smile and be simple, humble and good.

It would be nice to blend all the best characteristics of the last three popes, he said, including Pope Benedict XVI's "intense intellect" and St. John Paul II's "courage and his call to follow Jesus."

"I'm praying to St. Anthony" to find the one, he said.

Asked if he had already made a choice, he said he still had to think about it.

"But you only have two more days," a reporter said.

"That will be enough, don't you think?" he replied.
 

ROME (CNS) -- As Catholics in Rome await the election of their new bishop, the pope, some of them celebrated Sunday Mass at their parishes with the cardinals who will enter a conclave May 7.

When prelates are made cardinals, they are assigned a "titular" parish in Rome, which makes them members of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome. In the early days of the church, the clergy of the diocese elected the pope.

Several cardinals chose to celebrate Mass at their titular churches May 4, the last Sunday before they enter the Sistine Chapel to begin voting for a new pope.

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, was at St. Mary of the Graces Church where it was first Communion Sunday. There were prayers for the late Pope Francis, for Cardinal Tobin and for the new pope, but the focus was solidly on the children. 

The cardinal and his priest secretary arrived at the parish by subway. Wearing a clerical suit with his pectoral cross tucked in his pocket, no one recognized him, he said.

Outside the church, journalists did know who he was and asked him how the pre-conclave meetings were going. "There is a growing consensus about the qualities needed for the next Holy Father, but not names. A lot depends on the Holy Spirit."

Still, he was predicting a fairly short conclave "because the majority of cardinals, including me, are diocesan bishops and we need to get back."

Cardinal Tobin said there is a desire "to have continuity" with the papacy of Pope Francis, but not an "exact" replica. "There is no going back," he added.

Father Antonio Fois, the pastor, welcomed Cardinal Tobin "home" to his Rome parish. "In a few days, you and your brother cardinals will elect the new bishop of Rome. And we pray for you and with you that you will choose a pastor with the heart of Jesus."

In his homily, Cardinal Tobin focused mainly on his "little brothers and sisters" who were about to receive Communion for the first time, and he prayed that their encounter with the risen Lord, who gives himself in the Eucharist, would lead them, like St. Peter in the day's Gospel, to respond, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."

Cardinal Tobin told the children that he was the eldest of 13 children and every day after school he and his friends would be playing ball in the street. "At a certain point, mom would come to the door with good news: 'Dinner's ready.'" 

It was good news, he said, "not only because we were hungry," but thinking about it more deeply, it also meant that it was time to gather around the table as a family. "It was a big table with a lot of people around it and a lot of noise, but we were a family."

Jesus gathered his disciples and gathers believers today around a table, the cardinal said, "not only to nourish us but to show us that God wants to be with us, God wants to remain with us, God wants us to leave behind despair and discover the joy of being a family."

In the announcements before Mass ended, Father Fois asked parishioners to join a special recitation of the rosary and Mass at noon May 8, the feast of Our Lady of Pompeii.

During the services the day after the conclave begins, he said, "We will pray in thanksgiving for the new pope or pray that they will give us a good bishop of Rome soon."
 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Sistine Chapel usually top the "must see" list of visitors to Rome and the Vatican.

But as 133 of the world's cardinals prepared to enter the conclave May 7 to elect the new pope, the Sistine Chapel was closed to visitors April 28.

In preparation for the conclave, workers placed a protective covering over the marble mosaic floors and started carrying in pipes, couplers and sheets of subflooring. 

The chapel is the highlight of most tours of the Vatican Museums and close to 7 million people visit each year, especially to see the ceiling Michelangelo painted between 1508 and 1512 and the massive wall fresco of the Last Judgment he painted between 1535 and 1541.

As documented by the Vatican Media video team beginning April 28, the din of tourists, constantly reminded that it is a chapel and they must whisper, was replaced with the sounds of hammering and sawing, the ping of metal couplings hitting metal couplings and the thud of the subfloor being laid.

The new floors and a few ramps, set on top of mini-scaffolding, will eliminate most steps and make the chapel more accessible for the cardinals, whose average age is over 70. Rows of tables and chairs will be added along the north and south walls so that the cardinals face each other. The tables closest to the walls will be raised slightly so that the cardinals in the back have a clear view. 

While photographers, and tourists with a keen eye, watched from St. Peter's Square as Vatican firefighters installed a chimney on the chapel roof May 2, Vatican Media photographers documented what was happening inside.

Two stoves, connected by a copper pipe, were installed: one to burn ballots and the other to burn chemicals to create either dark black or bright white smoke to let the public know if a pope was elected or not. 

Before the conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, the ballots were burned with wet or dry straw, which produced the right color, but never really created enough smoke to offer a clear signal.

Maintaining secrecy is part of the cardinals' oath, so technicians will sweep the chapel for electronic surveillance or recording devices before the conclave.

Before the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, then-Vatican spokesman, told reporters that jamming devices are used to disable cellphone signals, but that they are not installed under the false flooring as often is reported.

In 2003, two years before his death, St. John Paul II reflected on his experiences in the Sistine Chapel in a series of poems "Roman Triptych."

He wrote about the two conclaves of 1978 -- the first that elected Pope John Paul I and then the conclave that elected him. 

"It is here, at the feet of this marvelous Sistine profusion of color that the Cardinals gather -- a community responsible for the legacy of the keys of the Kingdom," St. John Paul wrote. "They come right here. And once more Michelangelo wraps them in his vision."

That vision, he wrote, begins with the "creating hand" of God giving life to Adam and ends with the Last Judgment. But it also includes Jesus telling St. Peter in Matthew 16:19: "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

"It is necessary that during the Conclave, Michelangelo teach them," the late pope wrote. "Do not forget: 'Omnia nuda et aperta sunt ante oculos Eius' ('All things are laid bare and open before his eyes'). You who see all -- point to him! He will point him out."