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Friday, March 08, 2013

Conclave expected to start early next week -Vatican

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Roman Catholic cardinals will vote later on Friday on when to start a conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict, the Vatican said, adding that the balloting would most likely begin early next week.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said a decision was expected for after 7 p.m. (6 p.m. British Time) at the end of an afternoon session of preliminary meetings known as "general congregations".

Cardinal Theodore-Adrien Sarr of Senegal walks in the rain through Saint Peter's square after a meeting at the Synod Hall at the Vatican, March 8, 2013. The Vatican struggled on Thursday to contain leaks from its closed-door preparations for the next papal election, highlighting a gap between the Catholic Church's traditional secrecy and the 24/7 information age. REUTERS/Max Rossi
Cardinal Theodore-Adrien Sarr of Senegal walks in the rain through Saint Peter's square after a meeting at the Synod Hall at the Vatican, March 8, 2013. The Vatican struggled on Thursday to contain leaks from its closed-door preparations for the next papal election, highlighting a gap between the Catholic Church's traditional secrecy and the 24/7 information age. REUTERS/Max Rossi

He told a news conference that it was "likely" the conclave in the Sistine Chapel would start either on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.

All of the 115 "cardinal electors" under 80 and thus eligible to vote for the next leader of the 1.2 billion-member Church have now arrived and are taking part in the meetings.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella; editing by Crispian Balmer)

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