VATICAN CITY (AFP) — Vatican workers made final preparations in the Sistine Chapel on Saturday after Roman Catholic cardinals voted to begin their conclave to elect a new pope under Michelangelo’s famous frescoes on March 12.

The conclave of 115 “cardinal electors” will begin on Tuesday to choose the 264th pope, following Benedict XVI’s abrupt decision to resign last month after a troubled eight-year papacy that was often overshadowed by scandals.

The 85-year-old Benedict admitted he was becoming too weak in body and mind to keep up with a fast-changing modern world and became only the second head of the Roman Catholic Church ever to resign by choice in its 2,000-year history.

The decision on the date of the conclave was taken on Friday at one of a series of closed-door meetings held by cardinals over the past week to discuss the many challenges facing the next pope.

Cardinals seized on the rare chance to air grievances against the Vatican with no new pope to defer to and no old pope to mourn.

Several cardinals have called for greater transparency and a wholesale reform of the Roman Curia, the central governing body of the Church, which has been under a cloud over recent corruption, infighting and intrigue allegations.

“Pope emeritus” Benedict XVI has stayed out of the debate and is living at the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo outside Rome for the next couple of months, after which he will move to a former convent inside the Vatican.

No Spying, No Communication

The giant window of the Sistine Chapel has been blacked out to prevent anyone being able to spy on the conclave and scrambling devices have been installed to prevent any type of communication with the outside world.

The Renaissance jewel takes its name from pope Sixtus IV, who had it built between 1477 and 1480. Situated next to St. Peter’s Basilica, it has the same dimensions as the first Holy Temple built in Jerusalem by King Solomon.

One of the most visited sites in the world, with up to 20,000 tourists a day filing through, the Sistine Chapel features one of art history’s most famous scenes, depicting God stretching out his arm to touch Adam’s hand and give him life.

The chapel is now off limits to visitors and the Floreria, the Vatican department in charge of preparing for papal audiences and ceremonies, has been outfitting it for the conclave with a raised platform and tables.

It is using drawings and photos to make sure this conclave – the 24th to be held in the chapel – is the mirror image of the previous ones.

Twelve long tables will be laid out in four rows, two on either side of the chapel, covered with runners in beige with bordeaux satin skirting.

The cardinals – traditionally known as “Princes of the Church” – will sit on cherry-wood chairs to fill in their ballot papers in the papal election.

Folded votes will first be placed on a bronze plate, known as a paten, and then slid into an urn shaped like a flying saucer, decorated with two lambs, signifying the flock of God’s faithful who will be led by the future pope.

Prayers will be read out from a lectern in the center of the chapel.

On the left of the entrance to the chapel, two stoves with one common flue have been installed for the burning of the votes once they have been counted.

Ballots will be burnt in one of the stoves, engraved with the names of the last six popes and the dates they were elected. Chemicals burnt in the second stove will ensure the color of the smoke in the sky cannot be misread.

Black smoke will mean no decision has yet been made, white smoke signals a pope has been chosen. There are two daily rounds of voting and the pope is elected by a two-thirds majority and a simple acceptance of the vote.

At the end of the chapel, tucked away and permanently off-limits to tourists, is a small door which opens onto a small cell, where the white robes for the new pope will be laid ready in three sizes: large, medium and small.

Room Of Tears

The small, red-painted “Room of Tears” is where the chosen cardinal will retire once nominated to be the next head of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.

Preparations are also under way at the Casa Santa Marta, the residence inside the Vatican where the electors will eat and sleep between votes.

Cardinals will walk or be driven about 500 meters up a cobblestone road that passes through the lush greenery of the Vatican gardens.

The windows in the residence are locked and the cardinals’ movements are restricted to prevent anyone signaling details about the election.

Even the telephones in the rooms are for internal use only.

‘Papabile’

Several names are frequently mentioned in Rome as “papabile” (potential popes). This list of the names most often cited is alphabetical, not in order of their chances.
• Joao Braz de Aviz (Brazil, 65) brought fresh air to the Vatican department for religious congregations when he took over in 2011. He supports the preference for the poor in Latin America’s liberation theology, but not the excesses of some of its advocates. Possible drawbacks include his low profile.

• Timothy Dolan (USA, 63) became the voice of US Catholicism after being named archbishop of New York in 2009. His humor and dynamism have impressed the Vatican, where both are often missing. But cardinals are wary of a “superpower pope” and his back-slapping style may be too American for some.

• Peter Erdo (Hungary, 60) ranks as a possible compromise candidate if the conclave’s European majority do not back an Italian but are wary of a pope from overseas. His two terms as head of a European bishops council and strong links with African church leaders could garner strong support from two important voting blocs.

• Sean O’Malley (USA, 68) has been touted as a “clean hands” candidate since he was named to three US dioceses in a row to settle sexual abuse scandals. Appointed to Boston in 2003 after a major crisis there, he sold off archdiocesan properties and prompted protests by closing down little-used churches.

• Marc Ouellet (Canada, 68) is effectively the Vatican’s top staff director as head of the Congregation for Bishops. He once said becoming pope “would be a nightmare”. Though well connected within the Curia, the widespread secularism of his native Quebec could hurt him and even friends say he is not charismatic.

• Gianfranco Ravasi (Italy, 70) has been Vatican culture minister since 2007 and represents the Church to the worlds of art, science, culture and even to atheists. This profile could hurt him if cardinals decide they need an experienced pastor rather than another professor like Benedict as pope.

• Leonardo Sandri (Argentina, 69) is a “transatlantic” figure born in Buenos Aires to Italian parents. He held the third-highest Vatican post as its chief of staff in 2000-2007. But he has no pastoral experience and his job overseeing eastern churches is not a power position in Rome.

• Odilo Scherer (Brazil, 63) ranks as Latin America’s strongest candidate. Archbishop of Sao Paulo, largest diocese in the largest Catholic country, he is conservative in his country but would rank as a moderate elsewhere. The rapid growth of Protestant churches in Brazil could count against him

• Christoph Schoenborn (Austria, 68) is a former student of Pope Benedict with a pastoral touch the retired pontiff lacked. The Vienna archbishop has been a rising star since editing the Church’s catechism in the 1990s. But some cautious stands on reform and strong dissent by some Austrian priests could hurt him.

• Angelo Scola (Italy, 71) is archbishop of Milan, a springboard to the papacy, and is many Italians’ bet to win. An expert on bioethics, he also knows Islam as head of a foundation to promote Muslim-Christian understanding. His dense oratory could put off cardinals seeking a charismatic communicator.

• Luis Tagle (Philippines, 55) has a charisma often compared to that of the late Pope John Paul. He was also close to Pope Benedict after working with him at the International Theological Commission. He has many fans in the Church but only got his red hat in 2012. Conclaves can be wary of young popes who could have long reigns.

• Peter Turkson (Ghana, 64) is the top African candidate. Head of the Vatican justice and peace bureau, he is spokesman for the church’s social conscience and backs world financial reform. He showed a video criticizing Muslims at a recent Vatican synod, raising doubts about how he sees Islam. (With a report from Reuters)