Cardinals who are expected to vote in Wednesday process of selecting a new Pope have surrendered all their mobile phones and electronic devices as they prepare to move into the Sistine Chapel.
They are expected to remain in isolation until a new Pope is announced. For centuries the Pope head of the Catholic Church has been selected in a highly secretive gathering known as “conclave”, meaning “with key” in Latin.
According to reports the Vatican plans to use signal jammers around the Sistine Chapel to stop electronic surveillance or communication outside the conclave, where 133 cardinals vote to decide who will be succeed Pope Francis.
Phone signals will be deactivated at 3 pm (local time) on Wednesday, an hour and a half before the cardinals are scheduled to proceed to the Sistine Chapel to start the papal conclave, CNN reported, citing Italian state broadcaster RAI reported on Monday.
Meanwhile, Luis Tagle, a cardinal from the Philippines, has been tipped to become the first ever pope from Asia.
The 67-year-old, often referred to as the “Asian Francis” – a reference to Pope Francis – has been put on unofficial shortlists as cardinals gather in Rome for the conclave to choose the next pope.
