VATICAN YAANZA KUMTEUA PAPA MPYA SIKU YA JANA

Makadinali wa kanisa katoliki la Roma wameanza shughuli ya kumchagua papa mpya. Misa maalum imeandaliwa katika makao makuu ya kanisa hilo Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica. Baada ya misa makadinali wote walio na umri wa zaidi ya miaka 80 wataingia hekalu ya Sistine ambako upigaji kura utafanyika.
Makadinali hao 115 watafungiwa ndani ya hekalu, bila mawasiliano na yeyote nje na wataapishwa kuweka siri ya matukio yote wakati wa uchaguzi huo. Inaaminiwa kuwa shughuli hiyo huenda ikadumu siku kadhaa.

Mwandishi wa BBC mjini Roma anasema kuwa hakuna mgombea wa wazi anayetazamiwa kuchukua mahala pa Papa mtakatifu Benedikt wa kumi na sita. Papa huyo aliwashangaza wengi alipotangaza kujiuzulu baada ya kuhudumu miaka minane. Yeye ndiye papa wa kwanza kujiuzulu katika miaka 600 iliyopita.

Maelfu ya waumini wa madhehebu ya katoliki wamekusanyika nje ya kanisa la St. Peter's Basilica, kufuatilia kwa karibu shughuli hii muhimu ya kumteua kiongozi mpya wa kanisa. Makadinali waliochaguliwa watapiga kura mara nne kwa siku hadi pale Papa mpya atakapo patikana. Kwingineko maelfu ya waumini wanatizama kwenye televisheni na kusikiliza kwenye redio matukio ya Roma kujua iwapo wamepata Papa. Cardinals, in red, process through St Peter's Basilica during a mass before they enter the Sistine Chapel to elect the next pope

Pomp and circumstance: Cardinals attend a mass in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican before entering the Sistine Chapel for conclave to elect the next pope
Treading an uncertain path: Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel to begin the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict

Turbulent times: The 115 cardinals chanted and prayed for divine guidance as they prepared to choose a pontiff who will face one of the most difficult periods in the Church's history
Church in crisis: Many of the 115 cardinal electors who are eligible to vote looked grim as if the burden of the imminent ballot was weighing on them

Differences: The cardinals listen to a final appeal for unity within the church from the dean of the College of Cardinals after a turbulent few weeks for the Vatican

Hopes and prayers: In his homily, Cardinal Angelo Sodano (centre, in red), appealed to his fellow priests to put their differences aside for the good of the church
All aboard: American Cardinals (l-r) Sean O'Malley, Keith O'Brien and Timothy Dolan take the bus from the North American College to St Peter's Basilica before they enter Conclave to vote for the next pope

Uncertain times: There is no front-runner, no indication how long voting will last and no sense that a single man has what it takes to fix the church's many problems

In good spirits: Seminarians at the North American College line the road to watch as a bus takes the American Cardinals to St Peter's Basilica after Benedict XVI's shock resignation last month