Papal conclave begins

Catholic Cardinals have entered the Sistine Chapel for the papal conclave to chose a successor to Benedict XVI under the tightest security ever.

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Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel for the papal conclave. Photo: AFP

AFP photo

Morning update: As expected, black smoke billowed over the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday, indicating the new pope had not yet been chosen. The first ballot rarely yields a new pope.

The 115 cardinals are likely to take some time in choosing a successor to Benedict XVI, holding four votes a day, two in the morning, two in the evening, keeping the crowds outside in suspense as they look for the white smoke indicating a new pope has been chosen.

Yesterday it was a rain-soaked crowd as thunderstorms hit the St Peter's Square area of Rome.

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Papal conclave: Ancient ritual and high-tech security

By Ella Ide (AFP)

Monsignor Guido Marini prepares to close the double doors to the Sistine Chapel on March 12 at the Vatican. Marini shouted, "Extra omnes," Latin for "All out," telling everyone but those taking part in the conclave to leave the frescoed hall, then he locked the doors. L'Osservatore Romano via AFP

VATICAN CITY — There will be no tweeting the results of the papal election from inside the secret conclave: cardinals withdrawing to choose a new pope enter a world apart where ancient ritual meets high-tech security.

Red-robed cardinals in all their finery chant to invoke God's guidance as they process into the Sistine Chapel, which will be swept for bugs in a bid to keep would-be spies from spilling conclave secrets to the world.

The conclave, named after the Latin phrase meaning "with key", comes eight centuries after the first lock-in, when protesters angry at nearly three years of indecision fed cardinals bread and water until they had made up their minds.

While many things have changed since then, the element of secrecy has not.

Under rules to make sure that not even the merest hint emerges from the cardinals' deliberations, those who betray the conclave face excommunication.

The cardinals too are cut off from any information filtering in from outside until the conclave is over.

A crowd, holding umbrellas, looks at a giant screen showing the Mass at the start of the papal election conclave, under a statue of St. Peter, at St Peter's square on March 12, 2013 at the Vatican. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP)

The centuries-old bid to eliminate the influence of meddling outsiders like the Roman nobility on papal elections was strengthened by pope John Paul II.

"Careful and stringent checks must be made... in order to ensure that no audiovisual equipment has been secretly installed in these areas for recording and transmission to the outside," the pope ordered in his 1996 document.

Benedict XVI may have revolutionised the Vatican's communication approach by opening a Twitter account and encouraging media-savvy cardinals to tweet, but here the language is Latin and the tool the humble pen.

A system is installed under Michelangelo's magnificent fresco of Christ delivering the Last Judgement to scramble any mobile phone communications with the world outside: no Twitter, no Facebook, no smartphone conclave apps.

cardinal – a priest of the highest rank in the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinals elect and advise the Pope  พระในศาสนาคริสต์ที่มีลำดับชั้นสูงสุด
conclave – a meeting to discuss something in private; the people at this meeting  การประชุมลับ
chapel – a separate part of a temple or church โบสถ์เล็ก, ห้องสวดมนต์
papal conclave – a closed meeting to chose a new pope
successor – someone who has an important position after someone else ผู้สืบทอดตำแหน่ง
security – the activities involved in protecting a country, building or person against attack, danger, etc ระบบป้องกันภัย
billow – to spread over a large area ทำให้พอง
indicate – to show แสดง
ballot – the system of voting in writing and usually in secret การลงคะแนน
rarely – not happening often นานๆ ครั้ง, ไม่บ่อย
yield – to produce something  ส่งผล  ให้ผล
suspense – excitement or worry that you feel when you are waiting to find out what has happened or what will happen ความน่าตื่นเต้น (ด้วยความดีใจหรือความกังวลก็ได้)
soaked – very wet  เปียกโชก
thunderstorm – a storm with thunder and lightning and usually very heavy rain พายุฝน,ฝนตกหนักที่มีพายุและฟ้าแลบ
fresco – a painting on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling ภาพเขียนบนกำแพงหรือฝาผนังที่เขียนตอนปูนยังไม่แห้ง
ritual – a set of fixed actions and sometimes words performed regularly, especially as part of a ceremony พิธีกรรม
withdraw – to move out or back, in this case, to leave a public area for a private area ถอนตัวจาก
ancient – very old ที่เก่าแก่ ที่โบราณ
finery – brightly coloured and elegant clothes and jewellery, especially those that are worn for a special occasion เสื้อผ้าอาภรณ์ที่หรูหรา
chant – to sing a piece of religious music using a very limited range of notes ร้องเพลงสวด
invoke – to make a request (for help) to somebody, especially a god ภาวนา,ขอร้อง, วิงวอน
guidance – help and advice about how to do something or about how to deal with problems การแนะแนว, การแนะนำ
process – to walk or move along slowly in, or as if in, a procession เดินอย่างช้าๆ ในขบวน
bug – to put a special device (= a bug ) somewhere in order to listen secretly to other people's conversations  ดักฟัง
bid – an attempt to do something ความพยายาม
spy – a person who secretly collects and reports information about the activities of another country or organisation สายลับ, สายสืบ
spill a secret – to make something known that was supposed to remain a secret เปิดเผยความลับ
century – a period of one hundred years ศตวรรษ
indecision – the feeling that you are unable to make a decision  การไม่สามารถตัดสินใจ, ความไม่แน่ใจ, ความละล้าละลัง, ความลังเล
make up your mind – to come to a final decision ตัดสินใจ
element – a small amount of a quality or feeling สิ่งเล็กน้อย
mere – not large or important เพียงเท่านั้น
hint – a small amount of something เล็กน้อย
emerge – to become known  เป็นที่ประจักษ์ต่อ
deliberation – considering or discussing something การปรึกษาหารือ
betray – to deliberately do something that harms someone who needs your support  หักหลัง ทรยศ
excommunication  – punishing somebody by officially stating that they can no longer be a member of a Christian Church, especially the Roman Catholic Church การตัดออกจากศาสนา
filter in – to come into a place slowly or in small amounts รั่ว
Mass – a religious ceremony in some Christian churches  การสวดมิซา
eliminate – to cause or require to leave (a competition) ทำให้ออก
influence – the power to have an effect on people or things อิทธิพล
meddle – to become involved in a situation that you have no right to be involved in ก้าวก่าย แทรกแซง
nobility – the highest class of people in society ชนชั้นสูง
stringent – (of a rule, law, etc.) very strict and that must be obeyed  เข้มงวด
ensure – to make certain that something happens or is done  ให้การยืนยัน, รับรอง, ให้ความมั่นใจ
transmission – the process of sending out electronic signals such as television or radio signals การส่งสัญญาณ แพร่ภาพ กระจายเสียง
document – a paper or set of papers with written or printed information, especially of an official type  เอกสาร
revolutionise – to completely change something so that it is much better ทำให้เกิดการเปลี่ยนแปลงอย่างสิ้นเชิง
encourage – to cause someone to have more confidence or hope about something ทำให้มีกำลังใจ
savvy – having practical knowledge or understanding of something  รู้,เข้าใจ, มีความรู้ความสามารถ
humble – not large or special ต่ำต้อย
magnificent – very good, beautiful or deserving to be admired สง่างาม, ดีเลิศ, หรูหราฟู่ฟ่า
scramble – to change the way that a telephone or radio message sounds so that only people with special equipment can understand it ส่งสัญญาณรบกวน