RNS-CONCLAVE-ROME

Dean of the College of Cardinals Angelo Sodano leads Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. Cardinals began the conclave today as the suspense mounts ahead of a secret papal election with no clear front-runner to steer the Catholic world through troubled waters after Benedict XVI’s historic resignation. The cardinal-electors who pick the next leader of 1.2 billion Catholics during the conclave in the Sistine Chapel will live inside the Vatican walls completely cut off from the outside world until they have made their choice. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini

(RNS1-mar12) Vatican City, 12/03/2013: Dean of the College of Cardinals Angelo Sodano (L) leads mass at St Peter’s basilica on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. Cardinals moved into the Vatican today as the suspense mounts ahead of a secret papal election with no clear front runner to steer the Catholic world through troubled waters after Benedict XVI’s historic resignation. The cardinal electors who pick the next leader of 1.2 billion Catholics during the conclave in the Sistine Chapel will live inside the Vatican walls completely cut off from the outside world until they have made their choice. For use with RNS-CONCLAVE-ROME, transmitted on March 12, 2013, RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini.