starting date

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College of Cardinals are voting and deciding for the date of the start of the Conclave : this Friday afternoon

Fr. Federico Lombardi had announced that the Cardinals are voting and therefore in the process of deciding the date of the start of the Conclave, most likely in an additional afternoon session, the Eighth General Congregation, on Friday late afternoon today.

The Cardinals had decided in the Sixth General Congregation meeting last evening (Thursday) that there would be two General Congregation sessions today (Friday) in the morning (Seventh) and the afternoon (Eighth), when the Cardinals likely will vote on the date of the start of the Conclave.

The news of the date of the Conclave, if there is any decision reached by today, will be released shortly at Friday evening, 8 March 2013 after 7 pm.

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Preliminary News : Conclave to begin on Monday, 11 March 2013 (Confirmation needed from the College of Cardinals)

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/22827/

According to the Vatican Insider, or La Stampa, which is the best source of objective and accurate news on the Vatican, the date of the Conclave has been set on Monday, 11 March 2013, which they posted on Monday, 4 March 2013, today, on their La Stampa edition.

Confirmation from the Holy See Press Office (Fr. Federico Lombardi) is needed however, as the first General Congregation of the College of Cardinals that meets to decide the starting date of the Conclave only began this morning at 9 am CET or Rome time. Therefore, the starting date of the Conclave may still change, but it is highly expected to occur between Saturday, 9 March 2013 and Monday, 11 March 2013.

We hope then to have a Pope by Thursday, 14 March 2013 at the latest, and hope that in that case, the Papal Installation Mass can be held on Sunday, 17 March 2013, the 5th Sunday of Lent. That we can have the new Pope to lead us in the celebration of the Holy Week, and the residential Cardinals too can go home to celebrate the Holy Week in their respective archdioceses/dioceses.

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Cardinals summoned to Rome to gather and discuss the start date and details of Conclave

All Cardinals from around the world, from the archdioceses and dioceses have been summoned to Rome as per the decision made in the meeting of the College of Cardinals on Friday, 1 March 2013. Meetings to decide the date of the Conclave, and its details will commence on Monday, 4 March 2013.

Many of the Cardinals would be eager to be able to elect a new Pope before the Holy Week begins, so that if possible, he may even be installed prior to the Holy Week, and therefore the Cardinals will be able to go home and celebrate Holy Week with their respective archdioceses/dioceses.