The Vatican prepares

Colombian Cardinal Ruben Salazar Gomez, left, walks in St. Peter's Square after attending a cardinals' meeting, at the Vatican, March 4, 2013.

Cardinals from around the world have gathered inside the Vatican for their first round of meetings before the conclave to elect the next pope, amid scandals inside and out of the Vatican and the continued reverberations of Benedict XVI's decision to retire.

Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP