Detailed schedule of conclave released

Vatican City, Mar 9, 2013 / 17:12 pm

Vatican press office director, Fr. Federico Lombardi, has revealed details of the daily schedule of the Conclave set to begin March 12.

The Mass for Election of a New Pontiff will take place on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. Beginning at 3:45 p.m., Cardinals will be transferred from the St. Martha House, the building where the Cardinals will reside during the Conclave, to the Vatican.

From there, Cardinals will process from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel where they will pray Vespers and officially enter the Conclave at 5:00 p.m.

The first possible smoke sighting will be on Tuesday evening at around 7:00 p.m.

If the smoke is black, the Cardinals will reconvene the next morning beginning with Mass at 8:15 a.m. in the Pauline Chapel and mid-morning prayer. Voting will begin again at approximately 9:30 a.m.

There will be four votes per day, with two in the morning and two in the afternoon. Smoke is always sent up after the two morning votes – around noon – and then again after the afternoon set of votes – around 7:00 p.m..

However, if the first vote of either the morning or afternoon set results in the election of a new Pope, the smoke will be seen earlier.

The Cardinals will follow this schedule until a new Pope is elected.

During the press conference, it was revealed that the main reason for Tuesday start of the Conclave was chosen to allow more time for preparations to the Sistine Chapel and St. Martha House.