Father Federico Lombardi said Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, sent out letters on Friday, March 1, formally informing the world's cardinals that the papacy is vacant and calling them to meet at the Vatican.
"It is likely they will not meet before Monday, March 4. As of yesterday, he said, it was impossible to say how long the cardinals would want to meet before they feel ready to announce a date for the conclave to begin.
The formal convocation, he said, will be sent by email or fax for immediacy, but hard copies will be mailed to the cardinals' permanent residences so they'll have a copy for their archives.
In addition, he said, while many cardinals were arriving in Rome before the papacy ended February 28, "the cardinals will not live at the Domus Sanctae Marthae," the Vatican guesthouse used during the conclave -- "until almost the eve of the conclave."