Who will wear the big hat?
Workers crowned the Sistine Chapel with its traditional chimney yesterday ahead of cloistered papal deliberations. On Tuesday, cardinals will begin voting to replace Pope Benedict, the first Catholic leader to resign in 600 years.
Each day, the cardinals’ ballots will be placed in a 100-year-old cast-iron stove. Smoke will rise up the stove’s copper pipe. If white, the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics will know the 266th pope has been selected. If black, they’ll know the 115-member conclave hasn’t yet reached a decision.
The process is so secretive that even the cardinals are searched daily for banned cellphones. Jamming devices have been installed to prevent electronic eavesdropping.
Cardinals in Rome say they are looking for a squeaky-clean man of faith who doesn’t have any scandalous baggage.
There’s no clear favorite. “I wouldn’t bet $10 on anyone, and anyone who does would be crazy,” one cardinal remarked.
So who will be the next pope?
Courtesy of the Religion News Service, here are the “Sweet Sistine” of front-runners (with the odds provided by Irish bookmaker paddypower.com). You can even fill out your own bracket at religionnews.com.