Vatican Says Conclave to Select Next Pope Will Begin on Tuesday
By: Scott Picken
Updated: March 8, 2013
(KEVIN DOLAK/ABC NEWS) -- The Vatican has announced that the conclave to elect the next pope will begin Tuesday.
Catholic Cardinals from across the globe now gathered at the Vatican were waiting for the arrival of Vietnam's cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham, who arrived Thursday, before a date could be set for the election.
When all 115 of the voting cardinals were finally together, they began to gather for the meetings known as general congregations. During these meetings they discuss the problems facing the church, while geting to know each other.
On Thursday, U.S. Cardinal Roger Mahony caused a wave of anticipation when he tweeted that the discussions were "reaching a conclusion."
"Days of General Congregations reaching a conclusion. Setting of date for Conclave nearing. Mood of excitement prevails among Cardinals," he tweeted.
The setting of the date functions as a deadline for pre-conclave discussions.
Once the conclave begins, the cardinals vote twice per day -- twice in the morning, and twice in the afternoon. All of these votes are made during silent prayer within the Sistine Chapel.
Many of the over one billion Catholics across the world are anticipation who will be selected as the next pontiff. One hint has even arrived today that the next pope could be an American.
An article in an Italian magazine by a respected religion writer says that Cardinal Dolan, the current Archbishop of New York, is being strongly considered as a viable candidate to be the next pope.
The article states that he is considered a great communicator, which is an essential quality in the very public role that the pope will play.
Cardinal O'Malley of Boston is also mentioned in the same article as a viable candidate.
There is reportedly a rift brewing between American cardinals and Vatican-based cardinals, with the Americans on one side allegedly pushing to delay this process, while the Italians are pushing for a quick vote.
The Italians have more votes and more visibility, so a quick vote is thought to favor them.
The 2005 conclave following the death of Pope John Paul II began on April 18 of that year and ended the following day, after just four ballots.
