Pregnant Secretary of Pope Francis Found Dead in her Rome Apartment

Pope Francis' pregnant receptionist has been found dead in her apartment on the outskirts of the city.

Miriam Wuolou, a 34-year-old of Eritrean origin, was seven-months pregnant when her body was discovered.

She had worked at Pope Francis' home and a priests' guesthouse called Santa Marta for years.

Mbaka: Priest, Politician Or Renegade? by Reuben Abati

This writeup hit the nail on the head but may not go down well with some fanatics....but who cares? The truth must be told as it is!

''Catholic priests in Nigeria have always captured the public imagination, some of them have served in government positions, some were prominent in the fight and struggle for democracy, some of them have proved their mettle as poets, teachers, musicians, social critics, and public affairs commentators, but Rev. Fr. Ejike Camillus Anthony Ebenezer Mbaka is a cut above the rest, not necessarily in terms of intellect or persona, but in terms of how he has been able to use the pulpit to acquire a rock star status.

It is therefore not surprising that everything about him is

Pope Francis To Make 'Acting' Debut In Spiritual Film....

Pope Francis will mark his acting debut in a new religious film aimed at children in which he will tell them 'how and where to find Jesus', Italian producers said on Monday.





Beyond the Sun, from Rome-based distribution and production company AMBI, is described as a family adventure based on the Gospels 'where children from different cultures emulate the apostles while searching for Jesus in the world around them'.

Why we transferred Father Mbaka — Catholic Church

The Catholic Church on Monday clarified the recent transfer of Father Ejike Mbaka, saying the controversial priest was merely being sent to where he would be more useful to the church.

In its first reaction since the controversy over the transfer broke, the church church said the posting was not meant to be punitive.

In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES Monday, the Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretar‎iat of Nigeria, Reverend Father Ralph Madu said transfer of priests within the catholic church is a “normal church procedure.”

“Mbaka’s own is not an exception,” Fr. Madu said. “The Bishop has the right to post any priest wherever he feels his service would be more useful to the church.”

Public criticisms had greeted the Enugu Diocese’s recent decision to transfer Fr. Mbaka out of Christ the King Parish‎, GRA, where he had served for over a decade and had established a popular prayer ministry, the Adoration Prayer Ministry.

Fr. Mbaka is to resume immediately at his new post at the Our Lady Parish, Emene.

The priest, who is as fiery as he is controversial, had described his ‎re-posting by the church as a “calculated move” to make him suffer.

 

“I know we are going to suffer within now and few months to come,” the priest said. I am going to suffer and suffer; I know that. I’m going to suffer because I have no place to put my head. I am going to suffer because I have no place to keep the Adoration Ministry’s assets. I know I’m going to suffer.”

On Sunday, the South-East zone of the All Progressives Congress alleged that Bishop Callistus Onaga was manipulated by external forces into effecting Fr. Mbaka’s transfer.

“As a party, we have watched with concern and trepidation the criticism, the attack, assault and unpleasant comments hurled against Fr. Mbaka since he providentially prophesied that President Buhari would win the 2015 elections,” the APC said in a statement by Osita Okechukwu, Spokesperson of its South-East caucus.

“Even the church did not spare him; he was called unprintable names, yet his prophecy came true.”

In the run-up to last year’s presidential election, Fr. Mbaka had told a gathering of thousands of catholic faithfuls at his Adoration Prayer Ground ministry to vote out then president, Goodluck Jonathan.

The priest, renowned for his blunt sermons, has a huge followership in‎ South East Nigeria, where thousands of Catholics throng to his prayer ground for healing and miracles.

But following his recent transfer to a new parish, speculations were rife that his being moved to another parish was punishment for his unalloyed support of a Muslim candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, over his Christian predecessor, Mr. Jonathan.

But Fr. Madu said that “such frivolities ‎have nothing to do with the posting.”

“His posting should have been a privilege, not a punishment – which the Bishop can do because he has the power.

“If he (Mbaka) says it’s a punishment, then it’s open for further investigation. Posting is a regular thing, a priest can be transferred after two, three, four, or more years, it depends on the discretion of the Bishop.

“That ministry (Adoration Ministry) is his private ministry, it does not belong to the church. Overseeing a parish is a full time job. 

Overseeing a ministry is a bigger task. If the church decides to take him somewhere where he’ll have more time to carry out his ministry, how is it punitive? That should not be the language.”

Fr. Madu said FDr.Mbaka had done things that were unacceptable to the church in the past but received no punishments for them.

“He is supposed to be a missionary,” Fr. Madu said. “What if the Bishop had closed down the ministry‎, which is within his power to do? Sometimes, transfers can be for the good of the priest as something can be going wrong which he might not be aware of. 

The Bishop is free to move any priest at any time, it is his prerogative.”

Source: PREMIUM TIMES .                               .

Pastor Enoch Adebayo Gets Hon.Doctorate From OAU - Says "Never Underestimate Anyone In Life''

Pastor Enoch Adeboye was given an Honorary degree today at his alma Mater,University Of Ife (Now OAU)







He gave a very touching speech like a sermon after he was robed and the degree conferred on him.


He said something that should encourage every human being in life....


''He said in 1967, he was in University of

Nobody goes to hell fire, it’s a fallacy- Nigerian Transgender stephanie

When people are stressed out and frustrated, they start to look for mediums to express their anger and they look for someone to blame, Well, Stephanie formerly Dapo Adaralegbe blame God and she has never hidden this. She went to her facebook recently to slam God again. Here’s what she said
The self-proclaimed non-conformist and God-hater, who said God is more wicked than the devil
, has continued to use her Facebook page to assault the Almighty. This time around, she has taken her war to God personally.
On July 22, she wrote:
“If the same God is the functional evil doer devil to humanity, which other devil will such idiot you call God cast into Hell fire at the end? Hahaha … People have been deceived, NO BODY GOES TO HELL FIRE! Hell fire is a fallacy. NOBODY GOES TO HEAVEN.”
In the past she has written similar articles like this-
Read what she wrote on July 18:
“Such foolish God is not love but the culmination of wickedness and evil. The God is our DNA, the God is in the blood of people dying prematurely; the God is in the Cancer of innocent people born with such disease, the God is in the brain tumour and leukemia of people born with these inconsistencies of nature!
The useless and stupid God is in Nature and nature is certainly not fair to every body. Those that died of Cancer and sickle cell would have wished they were not born that way! FUCK YOUR FOOLISH GOD … MAY HIS USELESS GLORY TANISH.”
Quoting from the Bible, Rose picked this to further cement her hatred towards God:
‘Isaiah 45.7: “… I make peace and I create evil, I the Lord do all THESE things.’
“The God it self is the biggest idiot I have ever known. No greater wickedness or evil doing has surpassed what such foolish and stupid God has done to humanity.
God worshippers are shit worshippers! They are only wasting their time worshipping such idiot and evil God.”
Well na she sabi….  GBB: Joshua 24:14


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Id-El-Fitr message to the nation from President Buhari

Sallah message from our president below..

Fellow Compatriots, I greet and felicitate with you all, especially our citizens of the Islamic faith on this auspicious occasion of the 2015 Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.

I congratulate all those who have successfully completed the Ramadan fast in keeping with the injunction of our Creator.

Although we have come to the end of this year’s month of Ramadan, I believe that a greater acceptance by Nigerians of its key lessons of self-denial and sacrifice will serve our dear country well as we strive to overcome our present challenges, undo the damage done by years of bad governance and accelerate the pace of national development.

Reviewing our dire circumstances and the many missed opportunities of the past, some commentators and observers have said that this is Nigeria’s last chance to get its act together and finally begin to fulfill its God-given potential for greatness.

While not going that far, I certainly believe that now, more than ever before, our country needs greater self-denial, sacrifice and patriotism from all of its citizens, if we are to quickly recover from our numerous problems and start moving in a positive direction.

This current period of our life as a nation offers us a great opportunity to break from the vicious triangle of insecurity, corruption and under-developme

nt. We must collectively resolve to seize this opportunity and unite to confront our problems.

I remain wholly committed to giving the required leadership towards undoing the wrongs of the past, ensuring that Nigeria truly begins to unlock its great potential and that the benefits of our immense national resources are shared and enjoyed by all, not just by successive cabals of corrupt leaders and their cronies.

I was very aware of your high expectations when I assumed office and I reassure you, my fellow citizens, that since my inauguration on the 29th of May this year, I have been working with utmost dedication to meticulously plan and tackle the many national challenges which we identified and promised to resolve.

To succeed however, I need your continued support, understanding and patience.

I fully understand and share the thirst of my long-suffering compatriots for corruption-free government institutions that work efficiently to deliver visible development for the benefit of all citizens.

I also share the feelings of those who think that we should be moving faster. But I urge them and all Nigerians to trust that my commitment to real and positive change in our nation is as firm as ever.

There is indeed much work to be done, but we must do it well and carefully to ensure that the great opportunity which we now have is not lost to the “business as usual” group who selfishly or shortsightedly prefer a status quo that panders to their personal or group interests.

The adverse effects of years of rot, corruption, inept and bad governance on our nation are immense, but certainly not insurmountable if we all resolve now to place the well-being of our nation above all other considerations and work whole-heartedly with the present administration to achieve greater peace and security across the nation, and reposition our country for faster economic development and progress.

May Almighty Allah continue to guide us and bless our dear nation.

I wish you all happy Eid-el- Fitr celebrations.

Muhammadu Buhari
President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria

War in Enugu Catholic Church

Uneasy calm reigns in St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Ogugu in Awgu Catholic Diocese, Enugu State, following an attack on worshipers by some youths during an evening programme held as part of this year’s Easter celebrations.

The parishioners had been working hard to rehabilitate the Church that was recently handed back to the Catholic Church by the Governor Sullivan Chime administration before all hell was let loose by the dissident youth allegedly sponsored by three prominent members of the community.

The youths who allegedly refused to acknowledge the leadership of the town union, Ogugu Progressive General Assembly (OPGA), were said to have placed the town under siege for some months.

“They have organized themselves to ensure there is no peace and have frustrated several attempts to install a new traditional ruler since the last one died in the 2000”, said a source.

Narrating the ordeal of the church to journalists, the parish priest Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Anugwuo, stated that the attack was because the church had remained on the part of truth. He said: “What we do is to preach peace. That’s why they see us as an enemy.”

The St. Mary Primary School, which also houses the Catholic Church, was recently returned to the church by the state government. The priest alleged that some prominent members of the community sponsored the youth who he said, have issues with the church over the time they play football in the field located inside the church premises.

“We don’t want people to play ball in the field at all times especially when we are having our church services in the morning, but they always insist that it is the community field.”

He recalled that the face-off with the youths started on March 31, which was Easter Sunday, when the youths disrupted the church programme. “That evening, they invaded the premises and disrupted the evening programme of the church and vowed to return the next day

“The following day, Monday, they stormed the premises again with masquerades, machetes, and threatened tol kill me. They said I can’t stop them from playing football in their community field. They started attacking our church members wounding so many in the process.

“We later rep orted to the DPO at the Owelli Police Station but the DPO was supporting the youth that they should be allowed to use the field so we went to the Area Police Command who sent his men to the town and invited both parties.

“On April 18 when we were to report at the Area Command Oji, they wrote a petition to the Commissioner of Police who ordered that the invitation to Oji should not be honoured. That day they blocked the entrance to the premises and held us hostage; we didn’t leave here till night. The CP later invited us to Enugu.

“Not satisfied with the police in the state we reported the matter to the Zone-9 in Umuahia: the AIG invited us and urged us to make peace. But on our way returning to the community we got news that fighting had resumed at the premises.

“It was on that day, May 2nd that they destroyed the altar, broke the crucifix, the sacrament, 14 Stations of the Cross, chairs; they also removed the church sign post. The chapel was also damaged, the bishop seat, altar cloth were also destroyed.

“What they do now is to take on individuals; church women are being flogged anywhere they are found within the community.

“They decided to desecrate the house of God; some of them said there is no God; they are fighting the church because we tell them the truth; they want to silence the church and have their way.”

Corroborating Rev. Fr. Anugwuo’s story, the president of the Catholic Women Organization (CWO), Lady Eunice Uchemue, noted that since the parsonage was completed, the dissident youths had always warned that no priest would live there permanently.

She recalled that the 14 Stations of the Cross destroyed were brought by some of the women way back in 1971.

“We were 18 of us who went on a carol to raise money with which they were bought. That altar they destroyed was bought in 2006 at the cost of N329, 000. It’s surprising that they are doing all these because of a field. I have never seen or heard of a thing like this all my life, and they are not showing any remorse. At least eight persons were injured including the choir master”, she said.

An official of the town union, Comrade Orji Simon, who spoke to journalists, explained that not all the youths of the community were involved in the despicable act. According to him, some idle ones who allowed themselves to be used by their sponsors carried out the attack.

He condemned the act in its entirety, and assured that the Ogugu Progressive General Assembly would do everything within its powers to bring the culprits to book.

TB Joshua banned from hosting revival in Ghana after stampede that killed 4

Ghanaian authorities have temporarily banned the Ghana branch of TB Joshua's Synagogue Church of All Nation from hosting revivals, days after four people were killed and 13 more injured in a stampede during a church service on Sunday May 19th.

Thousands of people flocked to the church after church officials announced that holy water would be distributed. During the rush for the anointed water, three women and one man lost their lives after being trampled over.

Ghanaian authorities said the stampede could have been avoided if the church had used a bigger venue. The church is no longer allowed to hold revivals at their Spintex Auditorium in Accra.

CAN president Oritsejafor on the floor &in tears after receiving award

The National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, yesterday Thursday May 9th fell on the floor after receiving the award of ‘A True Servant of God’ from the Christian Elders Forum of Northern States, NOSCEF, in Abuja. (Photo source: Vanguard)

The founding and Senior Pastor of Word of Life Bible Church could not stop crying as he dedicated the award to the memory of all the Christians killed in the North by Boko Haram.

"I know why actors are dying in Nollywood" - Prophet Chris Okafor

Prophet Chris Okafor is the General Overseer of Mountain of Liberation and Miracle Ministry. Below is what he told an Encomium magazine reporter about the recent deaths in Nollywood

"This year I gave a prophecy concerning the entertainment industry that there is going to be series of death, and they never asked me for a solution. One problem is that they like to go to churches where they do paparazzi and the rest. They don't want to come to the truth and that is why they are dying this way. If they come to me, I will tell them the mystery why people are dying in Nollywood just like I've been able to tell Nigerians why electricity can't be stable in Nigeria. I know why they are dying. Let them come to me"

Video: Overcomers Church founder addresses Solomon Akiyesi's disrupted wedding #GBB

Founder of Overcomers Church, Bishop Moses has addressed the Solomon Akiyesi's wedding scandal. Watch video above then see an updated statement from the church after the cut...

This is a follow up to our statement from Saturday, April 13, following the disrupted wedding of Mr. Solomon Akiyesi to Ms. Uloma Agwu.

In light of the media mayhem that has erupted with tabloids spinning their own version of events, we find it necessary to make a final statement on the matter and hope that listening ears and hearts will understand the decisions we have made as a church.

Let’s start by addressing some of the rumours that have been perpetuated on several gossip blogs and tabloids.

Mr. Akiyesi is not a member of the Overcomers Church World Outreach. We heard no word of an existing marriage to Mrs. Lilian Akiyesi.

Many have pointed out that perhaps the Overcomers Church failed to do its due diligence in investigating Mr. Akiyesi thoroughly. We concede the point and will ensure that our Marriage Committee is equipped with a travel fund that will allow travel to visit with family members of engaged couples and ensure both the prospective brides and grooms are in fact who they say they are.

Ms. Uloma Agwu is a staunch member of the Overcomers Church. We regret that she was deceived by Mr. Akiyesi who lied, not only to her, but her family and Church as well. There is however no dishonesty on her part. She was unaware that a Mrs. Akiyesi already existed.

Furthermore, Ms. Agwu is not pregnant, as published by tabloids. That is a vicious lie that we hope to clear up.

No semblance of a wedding between her and Mr. Akiyesi took place at the Overcomers Church on Saturday. No vows were said, no rings exchanged and no marriage certificate handed out and the Church has NO INTENTION of endorsing such a union.

We respect the sanctity of Marriage at the Overcomers Church and will continue to uphold what is right and virtuous about the institution of marriage.

We do not endorse divorce and work instead to counsel troubled marriages and build stronger unions. Those who know us, know that.

Which brings us to the final misconception. The Overcomers Church does not fault Mrs. Lilian Akiyesi’s right to put a stop to a marriage that is not permissible in the eyes of the law and of God. As a matter of fact, we thank her for doing so and saving our sister, Ms. Agwu, from what would have been a disastrous union.

What we DO NOT endorse and will not stand for as a church is a group of people bringing a fight into the House of God. We will protect and defend our house of worship.

We learned that Mrs Akiyesi had arranged for police personnel days before the wedding and was already present at the Church hours before the wedding ceremony started. The right thing here would have been to alert church officials and present her case in a manner befitting a house of worship.

The wedding would not have taken place, and Mr. Akiyesi and his wife would have been sent along to sort out their lives together; which is what we have done now.

We strongly disapprove of the way Mrs. Akiyesi and her family and friends handled the matter. It brought shame to this house of worship. We also strongly abhor the actions Mr. Akiyesi, as well. His deception brought shame and disgrace, not only to the house of God, but also to his wife and Ms. Uloma Agwu.

Let us state in no uncertain terms, the relationship between Ms. Agwu and Mr. Akiyesi was dissolved yesterday afternoon after all the facts were brought to light.

We stand by our decision to pray for Mr. Akiyesi and Ms. Agwu following the ugly incident. No matter the wrongdoing, we commit all things into the hands of God, the ultimate judge. We will continue to support Ms. Agwu and pray for peace for all parties involved. We pray that God reaches into every heart and brings healing, so we can all move in our spiritual walk.

Thanks and have a blessed week!

Chika Moses
Media Representative
Overcomers Church World Outreach

Photos: Deputy Senate President builds church in Enugu state

The All Saints' Church, Mpu, Enugu State (pictured above) was built by Nigeria's Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. Our dear president was in Enugu today to dedicate and handover the church. See the photos after the cut...

Happy Easter celebration

Christians the world over today celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Easter is unarguably the greatest feast in the Christian calendar. It is usually observed at the end of Lent, a period of 40 days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Christ’s death and subsequent resurrection reconciled mankind to God. His coming would have been in vain if He did not die and resurrect from the dead. His victory over death is a victory for Christendom. In Nigeria, the Christian faithful will expectedly commemorate the feast with masses and prayers in churches. They will also partake in the usual eating and drinking as well as other forms of merriment associated with this important Christian feast.

While Christ’s resurrection is being marked with great pomp and revelry, the Christian faithful should not lose sight of its overall spiritual significance. Beyond the culinary pleasures associated with the feast, let all Christians remember the sacrifice embedded in Christ leaving His exalted heavenly abode to come and die for the sins of mankind.

That is the significance of the feast. The import of Christ’s humility in accepting to die for the sins of others on the Cross of Calvary should ever remain fresh in the psyche of all Christians. Easter is also a period of self-sacrifice, self-abnegation, love and forgiveness. As Christ redeemed mankind from eternal damnation, so should all Christians strive to be Christ-like in relating with other people. They should let Christian ethics, as enunciated in the teachings of Christ, be the touchstone of their daily living. We call on all Christians to live the life of Christ during the Easter season and thereafter.

They should emulate Christ and show compassion to their fellow human beings, especially the less privileged, the aged, the weak and the poor. They should use the occasion to visit the sick, those in prison as well as the needy. Christians should use the teachings and examples of Jesus Christ in their relationship with their fellow Christians as well as people of other faiths.

The Christian life is a call to service and sacrifice even if it entails paying the supreme sacrifice for the sake of others. Let our leaders use this period to demonstrate the teachings of Christ. Christians in positions of leadership should, like Christ, show compassion, love and care for those they swore to serve. As Christ washed the feet of his disciples and attended to their daily needs, so should our leaders attend to the needs of those they lead. In other words, our leaders should lead by example, and not by mere precepts. They should be exemplary in all that they do. We use this occasion to call on all political leaders, irrespective of their creed, to rule with the fear of God.

They should see their position as a call to service to God and humanity. They should not use their offices to amass wealth or deprive the masses of the goodies which governance is expected to bestow on them. It is regrettable that we have not seen much of Christ’s examples in many of our leaders. Some of these leaders treat the citizenry with contempt and condescension. Some are more interested in the perks and perquisites of office than how to better the lot of the people. This Easter comes at a most trying period for Nigeria.

General insecurity has become the order of the day in the country. Recent Easter festivities were celebrated amidst fear of bombing of Christian places of worship in some parts of Northern Nigeria as a result of the festering Boko Haram insurgency. The current celebration is not an exception. We call on all the people perpetrating such violence in the country to have a change of heart and desist from criminality.

They should bear in mind that no country achieves the desired level of human and economic development under a charged and tension-soaked atmosphere as we have presently. Let all insurgents in the country use this occasion to lay down their arms and embrace peace and dialogue, which is the best way to settle whatever grievances they have against the state. We wish all Christian faithful a happy Easter celebration.

PHOTOS: Good Friday in Nigeria, Reenactment of Crucifixion

Reenactments of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ took place around the country.

Topic of the day: Men of God marrying Men of God

Like I always say, I have nothing against homosexuals. People's sexual orientation is their business as long as they do not disturb me with it...but if you're a Man of God, someone who knows God and the scripture, someone who should lead people to the right path in life, is it okay to be shacking up with other men, and doing it openly?

Read the last sentence on the intro above. It says - Rev. Jones-Wade (pictured above on the right) is married to First Gentleman, Job Jones-Wade...they reside in the DC area. a'fi First Gentleman no'o! Lol. The guy on the left is openly gay Nigerian pastor Rowland Jide Macaulay. What do you guys think of Men of God marrying men?

We Have a New Pope: Cardinal Bergoglio is Francis I

There was white smoke over Rome after dark fell there, and bells were tolling. After just a little more than a day, a new Pope had been chosen, on the fifth ballot. An hour of uncertainty passed, then a French cardinal came out and announced, in Latin, the name this Pope was leaving behind: Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires and a Jesuit. He got to pick a new name; John Paul I, the Pope of thirty-three days, chose his as a symbol of combing the qualities of Paul VI and John XXII. So it might matter a good deal that Bergoglio chose Francis, evoking the saint of Assisi and his commitment to the poor. He will be the first Pope with this name. If that is a symbol that will have to be proven out, the selection of a Pope from Latin America is a more immediate one. It affirms the Church’s transformation, and may give it better footing in the world, if not a grasp of it.

Pope Francis I is seventy-six. He reportedly came in second place when Benedict XVI was elected. One of the first details mentioned after his name became known was that he takes public transformation. As with kings we like to imagine posts in disguise, walking in dark streets. That is not so likely, whatever Francis's preferences: when he came out, after a moment in which the curtain on the balcony overlooking the square seemed to quiver, he smiled in a way that made him hard to forget. It made him seem, really, like someone who had been known to the crowd for a long time.

The white smoke, by the way, is from the burning of the ballots. So is the black smoke, but different chemicals are shaken on top of each, as they are put in a special oven, in one of the gestures in which Vatican officials assume the aspect of alchemists. This morning, as the Times reported, gave out the recipe this morning: for white and a Pope, add potassium chlorate, milk sugar, and pine rosin. (Andy Borowitz, our satirical correspondent, came up with the headline “VATICAN CALLS WHITE SMOKE A FALSE ALARM: ‘WE WERE JUST BURNING DOCUMENTS’ ”) There are documents that may be troubling waiting for Francis in a safe in the sealed Papal apartments, the detritus of the Vatileaks scandal. One wonders if the will be troubled by what he reads there, or if he will shrug.



Click de link to watch de video

Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina elected new pope - Europe - Al Jazeera English

New Pope: Italian, Brazilian are top contenders

The work to elect a successor to retired Pope Benedict XVI began in earnest this morning, with a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.

The service open to the public was the last public event featuring the 115 cardinals who will choose the new spiritual leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics. The cardinals held final discussions on the troubled state of the Roman Catholic Church yesterday.

The 115 cardinal-electors from 48 countries filed into the Michelangelo-frescoed Sistine Chapel at 4.30 p.m. (10.30 a.m. ET) today, praying as they go, to begin the secret election called the conclave. They were expected to hold an initial vote shortly afterwards.

The only clue the world will have of what is happening inside will be periodic puffs of smoke from a copper chimney installed over the weekend in the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke, no pope. White smoke, success.

Vatican-watchers said Italy’s Angelo Scola and Brazil’s Odilo Scherer are in pole position, but a host of other candidates from around the world have also been mentioned, leaving the secretive contest wide open. “Last time around there was a man of stature, three or four times that of any other cardinal,” French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin told reporters, in a reference to Joseph Ratzinger who was elected pope within 24 hours in 2005. “That is not the case this time around.

Therefore, the choice has to be made among one, two, three, four … a dozen candidates. We still don’t really know anything. We will have to wait for the results of the first ballot.” Vatican insiders said Scola might be best placed to understand the Byzantine politics of the church’s much-criticized, Italian-dominated administration of which he is not a part and be able to introduce swift reform. The Curia faction inside the conclave is said to back Scherer, who worked in the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops for seven years.

If he should win the vote, he would be the first non-European to become pontiff in some 1,300 years. If neither camp can drum up the necessary support, a compromise candidate might come to the fore, with Canada’s Marc Ouellet, U.S. cardinals Sean O’Malley and Timothy Dolan and Argentina’s Leonardo Sandri often cited No one in the modern era has won the necessary two-thirds majority on the first ballot, and the cardinal-electors will hold up to four ballots a day thereafter, two in the morning and two in the afternoon until they elect a new pontiff. The average length of the last nine conclaves was roughly three days and none went on for more than five days.

“There is a dynamic that takes over once they’re in the Sistine Chapel. The first vote kind of lays out the names. We will have a pope by the end of the week,” said Father Rosica.

The conclave itself is held in great secrecy, with cardinals taking a vow never to reveal the details of their ballot. Vatican staff who might come into contact with the so-called princes of the church, including caterers and cleaners, took a vow on Monday not to reveal anything they might hear in the coming days.

The cardinals will stay in a simple Vatican hotel during the conclave, crossing over to the Sistine Chapel for the twice-daily voting sessions. Smoke signals from above the chapel black for an indecisive vote, white for a new pope will tell the outside world how the ballot is proceeding.

In preparation for the election, workers hung up crimson curtains on the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, ready for the moment when the new pope makes his first appearance before crowds gathered in the vast cobbled piazza below. The 266th pope will face an array of problems from sexual abuse scandals to the dysfunctional central bureaucracy, known as the Curia. Video released by the Vatican over the weekend showed the installation of a pair of stoves inside the chapel.

One is used to burn the cardinals’ ballots after they are cast and the other to send up the smoke signal, the one that alerts the world that a vote has been taken and whether there’s a new pope. Though it was speculated that the cardinals would probably vote Tuesday, Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said they don’t have to. If they do, it’s likely the first smoke might be seen around 8 p.m. (3 p.m. ET), he said. When cardinals elected Benedict in 2005, the white smoke signaling the decision came about six hours after an earlier, inconclusive vote, he said.

It took another 50 minutes for Benedict to dress, pray and finally appear on the balcony of St. Peter’s, he said. The longest conclave held since the turn of the 20th century lasted five days. On Monday, cardinals held the last of several days of meetings to discuss church affairs and get acquainted. Lombardi said 152 cardinals were on hand for the final meeting.

Stunned by the abdication last month of Pope Benedict, the red-hatted cardinals have met repeatedly this past week, sketching out the qualities of the person needed to face the huge challenge of leading the scandal-plagued church.

Church rules prevent cardinals over the age of 80 from participating in the election of a pope but allow them to attend the “General Congregations” that precede the vote. On Friday, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, one of about a dozen leading candidates to become pope, said the meetings have focused less on scandals facing the church and more on spiritual matters.

“We cardinals sure are praying a lot,” Dolan wrote. Contrary to media reports, he wrote in a blog post, the focus of the cardinals’ meetings is much the same as it was two millenniums ago, namely: “How most effectively to present the person, message, and invitation of Jesus to a world that, while searching for salvation and eternal truth, are also at times doubting, skeptical, too busy, or frustrated.”

He said, “Those are the ‘big issues.’ You may find that hard to believe, since the ‘word on the street’ is that all we talk about is corruption in the Vatican, sexual abuse, money. Do these topics come up? Yes!

Do they dominate? No!” “The expectations of the new pope and his profile was a recurring theme in this morning’s interventions by the cardinals,” said Father Tom Rosica, the Vatican spokesman for the English-speaking media.

New pope: Voting begins tomorrow

Roman Catholic Cardinals prayed on Sunday for spiritual guidance ahead of a closed door conclave to choose a new pope to lead the Church at one of the most difficult periods in its history. Cardinals will hold a last pre-conclave meeting on Monday (today) to fine-tune a job description for the man they think would be best-suited to lead a Church hit by sexual abuse scandals around the world as well as allegations of corruption in the Vatican itself.

The 115 cardinal electors under the age of 80 will enter the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday afternoon and hold one vote that evening. Thereafter, they will vote up to four times in a day until one of their number receives a two-thirds majority, or 77 votes. If a pope is not elected in two or three days it means that cardinals are probably severely divided and might have to turn to a dark horse candidate to find consensus. No conclave has lasted than more than five days in the past century.

Pope Benedict was elected within barely 24 hours in 2005 after just four rounds of voting. But this time, no clear favorites have emerged to take the helm of the troubled Church. “Prior to the last conclave, everyone recognized Ratzinger was the frontrunner on the day the conclave began. The same was true for Paul VI (in 1963) and Pius XII (in 1939),” said Father Tom Reese, Jesuit historian and author of “Inside the Vatican”.

Apart from Italy’s Scola and Brazil’s Scherer, others who have been mentioned the most are Canada’s Marc Ouellet. U.S. cardinals such as O’Malley or Timothy Dolan of New York have also been cited as potential candidates. With the vast majority of Catholics now living outside Europe, there is growing pressure for a pontiff from another part of the world. The 115 cardinals who will take part in the election from Tuesday took a day of rest yesterday from pre-conclave meetings to celebrate Masses in Rome, either in the quiet of private chapels or in the grandeur of Rome’s great cathedrals and basilicas.

“The conclave is just around the corner. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit gives the Church a man who can lead her in the footsteps of the great pontiffs of the past 150 years,” said Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan, at his Mass in Rome. Scola, 71, is considered the leading Italian candidate to succeed Pope Benedict, who cast the 1.2. billion-member Church into uncertainty last month when he became the first pontiff in six centuries to abdicate instead of ruling for life.

“We need to make the right decision,” Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer of Sao Paulo, 63, who is considered Latin America’s leading candidate, said at his public Mass in a small, Baroque church packed with well-wishers and reporters. Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley asked God to “enlighten the Church” so the cardinals would choose a pope to confirm everyone in the faith. Other cardinals such as Manila’s Luis Antonio Tagle, who is considered a long-shot because of his relatively young age, 55, kept a lower profile, mostly staying inside the walls of seminaries or other religious institutions.

At the Vatican, St Peter’s Square was eerily quiet without a pope for the second consecutive Sunday. The windows of the papal apartments overlooking the square remained closed. Benedict, who is now “Pope Emeritus” and has no residual authority over the Church, is at the papal summer retreat south of Rome while his permanent residence in a Vatican convent is being prepared. “This is a time of overall crisis but also a time of crisis in faith,” Italian bishop Rino Fisichella told Italy’s Tgcom24 television, adding that he hoped a new pope would appear from the window next Sunday.

Many observers believe a Latin American, Asian or African pope could bring attention to the poverty of the southern hemisphere in the same way the Polish-born John Paul put a spotlight on the East-West divide after he was elected in 1978. The Sistine Chapel has been readied to receive the sequestered cardinals, who will use stoves to tell the outside world whether or not they have chosen a new leader – black smoke signifying no decision and white smoke announcing a new pontiff.

One stove, made of cast iron and used in every conclave since 1939, will be used to burn ballots. The second stove is an electronic one which will use electronically ignited flares to send out either white or black smoke. Workmen have built rows of tables where the cardinals will sit facing each under the gaze of Jesus in Michelangelo’s massive Last Judgment panel on the wall behind the altar.

New Pope emerges next week

Barely 10 days after Pope Benedict XV1 stepped down as leader of the Catholic Church, cardinals yesterday voted to begin the process of picking his successor on Tuesday, March 12, 2013. According to the Vatican, the cardinals who have gathered in Rome, voted to go into the Conclave, to elect a new pope next Tuesday afternoon.

Only cardinals younger than 80 are eligible to go into the Conclave and vote. The procedure is that the 115 cardinals, who will serve as electors, will enter the Conclave after a morning Mass, the Vatican also stated. Any of the cardinals, who gets the highest votes, would emerge as the new Pope. Also yesterday, the cardinals voted to accept the letters of explanation of Cardinals Keith O’Brien of Scotland and Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja of Indonesia, who are eligible to vote for the next pope but will not attend the Conclave.

Darmaatmadja cited health reasons, and O’Brien cited personal reasons. In preparation for the outcome of the Conclave, Rev. Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman, said the chimney used to send up the smoke, to signal that a new Pope has been chosen by the cardinals, could be raised over the Sistine Chapel. The voting takes place inside the chapel, beneath the ornate ceiling painted by Michelangelo. “The building was closed to tourists Tuesday and will remain so for the foreseeable future,” the Vatican said.

Work is well underway to transform it for the conclave. Already, the cardinals have sworn an oath of secrecy. While any of the cardinals could be picked as Pope, bookmakers have outlined some favourites. They include: Cardinal Peter Turkson, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Cardinal Angelo Scola, Cardinal Jorge Marion Bergoglio, Joao Braz de Aviz, Cardinal Timothy Dolan,Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn and Cardinal Luis Tagle A Ghanaian, he got his red hat from Pope John Paul II in 2003.

He is president of the Vatican’s pontifical council for justice and peace. Born on October 11, 1948 in Nsuta-Wassaw, a mining hub in Ghana’s western region, to a Methodist mother and a Catholic father, he was educated in New York and Rome before being ordained to the priesthood in 1975. In 1992, he was appointed archbishop of Cape Coast, the former colonial capital of Ghana and a key diocese. The multilingual Canadian cardinal, is the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, which oversees the handing out of mitres.

He is one of the most powerful men in the Vatican. The 68-year-old former archbishop of Quebec, who was appointed to the third most important job in the Vatican three years ago, has the power to make or break careers. His position makes him a natural candidate for the papacy, although he was careful to downplay any talk of promotion when he was chosen to lead the congregation in July 2010. Born in Quebec in 1944, Ouellet studied at Laval University, the Grand Séminaire de Montréal and the Université de Montréal before being ordained in May 1968.

He has spent many years living and teaching in Colombia, which would make him an attractive figure to Latin American Catholics should one of their members again be passed over as pontiff. He was ordained as bishop by John Paul II and is seen as a close ally of Benedict XVI. He was born on November 7, 1941 in Lombardy. Ordained in 1970, he holds doctorates in Philosophy and Theology and was professor of theological anthropology at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family.

He was appointed bishop of Grosseto in 1991, patriarch of Venice in 2002, proclaimed cardinal in 2003, and appointed archbishop of Milan in 2011. He is currently Archbishop of Buenos Aries, Argentina. Reports indicate he was the runner-up in the last papal election, ultimately losing to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger who would go on to become Pope Benedict XVI. People, who know the cardinal, say the 76-year-old is a simple man who would defend catholic identity and current traditions. The 65-year-old cardinal from Brazil, is also a possible Pope.

He is said to have brought fresh air to the Vatican department for religious congregations when he took over in 2011. He supports the preference for the poor in Latin America’s liberation theology, but not the excesses of its advocates. Possible drawbacks include his low profile. He is 62 from United States of America. He became the voice of U.S. Catholicism after being named archbishop of New York in 2009.

His humour and dynamism have impressed the Vatican, where both are often missing. But cardinals are wary of a “superpower Pope” and his backslapping style may be too American for some. From Italy, Ravasi is 70 and has been Vatican culture minister since 2007. He represents the Church to the worlds of art, science, and culture and even to atheists. This profile could hurt him if cardinals decide they need an experienced pastor rather than another professor as pope. From Argentina, he is a “transatlantic” figure born in Buenos Aires to Italian parents.

He held the third-highest Vatican post, as its chief of staff in 2000-2007. But he has no pastoral experience and his job overseeing eastern churches is not a power position in Rome. The 63-year-old cardinal from Brazil ranks as Latin America’s strongest candidate. Archbishop of Sao Paolo, the largest diocese in the largest Catholic country, he is conservative in his country but would rank as a moderate elsewhere. The rapid growth of Protestant churches in Brazil could count against him. He is a former student of Pope Benedict with a pastoral touch the pontiff lacks.

At 57, the Vienna archbishop has ranked as papal material since editing the Church catechism in the 1990s. But some cautious reform stands and strong dissent by some Austrian priests could hurt him. At 55, Tagle from Philippines, has a charisma often compared to that of the late Pope John Paul. He is also close to Pope Benedict after working with him at the International Theological Commission. While he has many fans, he only became a cardinal in 2012 and conclaves are wary of young candidates.