Final Mass before new pope election

The Mass prior to the conclave, at St Peter’s Basilica. Pic/AFP

Cardinals entered St Peter's Basilica on Wednesday to celebrate a final Mass before the conclave to elect the next pope. The Mass precedes the secretive, ritual-filled process to find a new leader of the Catholic Church and is celebrated to pray that the 133 cardinals find wisdom, good counsel and understanding before they enter the Sistine Chapel to debate.

White/black smoke

For 800 years the Catholic Church has utilised the conclave process to elect a new pope. With no direct communication to the outside world, a key feature of the papal election is the use of smoke to signal ballot results and to announce the election of a new pope. Black smoke means a new pope has not been elected. White smoke means there is a new pope.

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