The College of Cardinals has agreed to hold a public prayer service on
March 6 in St. Peter’s Basilica to pray for the upcoming conclave and
the process of electing a new Pope.
“Since there is no afternoon meeting, tomorrow afternoon at 5:00 p.m. at
the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica, the cardinals are
inviting people to a time of adoration and Vespers,” Vatican press
office director Father Federico Lombardi announced March 5.
The proposal was made at the end of the March 5 general meeting, which
was the third in a series that the cardinals are holding as they prepare
for the conclave. It was gladly accepted by the cardinals, and it will
be presided over by the Dean of the College, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.
The initiative was announced as a way for the entire Church to gather in
prayer as it prepares to make an important decision that will impact
its future.
In other news, the cardinals decided to not hold afternoon sessions as
they did on March 4. This will allow the newer princes of the Church to
get a better grasp of the issues at hand and who the various papal
contenders are.
There are still five cardinals who have not yet arrived in Rome, but
they are all expected in the next couple days. Those who are not yet
present are: Cardinals Antonios Naguib, Karl Lehmann, Jean-Baptiste Pham
Minh Man, Kazimierz Nycz and John Tong Hon.
Fr. Lombardi stressed that their arrival is tied to personal commitments
that had already been made and that they have been in communication
with the College of Cardinals about their travel plans.
Once all the cardinals arrive in Rome, there will be 115 electors who will vote for the next Pope.