Wearing bright red vestments, the cardinals processed down the central aisle of the basilica as the Sistine Chapel’s boys’ choir sang. They took up their seats around the main altar, which lies above the traditional burial place of St. Peter, considered to be the first pope.

Cardinals begin secret election to choose next Pope in Sistine Chapel - In the pre-conclave Mass, senior cardinal Giovanni Battista Re prayed for the cardinal electors to be enlightened to choose “the