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                 Cardinals to Decide on Conclave to Elect Pope

   The Vatican says Roman Catholic cardinals will decide Friday on when to
   start a conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict.
   Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi says a decision on the vote is
   expected after 7 p.m. local time , following a two-hour meeting of the
   cardinals in Vatican City.
   He says it is "likely" the conclave in the Vatican`s Sistine Chapel
   will begin on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
   All 115 of the cardinals eligible to elect a new pope will take part in
   Friday`s meeting. Cardinals must be under age 80 to vote.
   Cardinals have been holding closed-door meetings this week in Rome to
   plan a date for the conclave, a meeting bound by centuries-old
   tradition to elect a new pope.
   The Vatican appears to be aiming to have a new pope in place by Easter
   on March 31.
   Pope Benedict resigned last month after nearly eight years in office,
   becoming the first Roman Catholic Church leader to step down
   voluntarily in 600 years. He has pledged obedience to the next pope.
   Vatican officials have been concerned that information discussed at
   this week`s meetings may have been leaked. On Wednesday, the Vatican
   imposed a media blackout on all cardinals following Italian media
   reports suggesting some cardinals initiated the leaks.
   Italian newspapers have speculated that the aim of the blackout was to
   silence American cardinals, who have been vocal about allegations of
   corruption and dysfunction within the Curia, the central administration
   of the Catholic church.
   The cardinals gathered this week to discuss other questions facing the
   church. Among them was last year`s "Vatileaks" scandal, in which
   confidential papal documents that shed light on power struggles inside
   top levels of the church were leaked to Italian journalists.
   Also under discussion was the series of child sex abuse incidents by
   priests, which have shaken confidence in the church in recent years.
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/cardinals-to-decide-on-conclave-to-elect-pope/1617658.html