Area Housing Pope's Tomb To Open

The College of Cardinals resumed its pre-conclave discussions about the state of the Roman Catholic Church on Tuesday as the Vatican prepared to open the grottoes beneath St. Peter's Basilica to the public for the first time since Pope John Paul II was laid to rest there.

Starting at 7 a.m. Wednesday, the public will be able to visit John Paul's simple tomb, placed in the ground and covered by a plain white-marble slab etched with his name and the dates of his pontificate.

Cardinals were expected to visit the tomb as a group on Tuesday evening following the fifth of nine Masses of mourning for John Paul, celebrated by Brazilian Cardinal Eugenio Sales de Araujo.

On Monday, that duty fell to American Cardinal Bernard Law, who resigned in disgrace as archbishop of Boston in December 2002 for mishandling a clergy sex abuse scandal. A couple of protesters objecting to the honor the Vatican bestowed on him were escorted away from St. Peter's Square by police.

The Mass is celebrated with the participation of the entire College of Cardinals, in front of thousands of pilgrims and is broadcast live on Italian television. By its very nature it raises the profile of whoever leads it.

The homily delivered during the daily ritual also is closely scrutinized for signals indicating how a cardinal may vote in the upcoming conclave to choose a new pope or what his priorities might be.

Law's homily focused on John Paul's faith and his devotion to Mary. "In these incredible days, the pope continues to teach us what it means ... to be a follower of Christ," Law said, reading slowly in Italian. "Our faith has been reinforced."

So far, the cardinals have been careful to abide by a pledge of silence regarding all things related to the conclave, which begins April 18. However, at the end of Monday's meeting, Indian Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil was quoted as telling the APcom news agency he thought John Paul's successor would be chosen quickly.

"We'll have John Paul II's successor in a couple of days, maximum three," he was quoted as telling APcom. "In my opinion, it will be a rather short conclave. At least it seems to me these are the prospects."

Chicago Cardinal Francis George made an indirect reference to the conclave during a Mass he celebrated Tuesday morning for pilgrims of his archdiocese. He apologized he hadn't spent more time with them, joking: "I have other things to do, you know."

On Monday, the Vatican reported the cardinals had discussed some church finances during their meeting, and had also asked priests around the world to urge "intense prayers" from their flocks so that the Holy Spirit helps guide cardinals to choose a new pope.

The cardinals waved to reporters Tuesday morning as they headed into their meetings.

Outside in St. Peter's Square, special edition Vatican stamps went on sale Tuesday. The "vacant see" stamps mark the period between John Paul's death and the election of his successor, and were being snapped up quickly by collectors.

The Vatican also released a video giving outsiders a peek at the conclave where a new pope will be selected by the 115 cardinals who are under age 80 and thus eligible to vote.

The video offers a tour of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where the cardinals will stay during the conclave, and of the frescoed Sistine Chapel, where the voting occurs.

The former residence, which John Paul ordered redone in 1997 to accommodate the cardinals, looks a bit like a convention center, with floors of white marble and potted plants. Cold and impersonal as it is, it's a big step up from the cramped quarters in the Apostolic Palace where the cardinals slept in previous conclaves.

The video ends with a view of the stove, dusty and full of ashes, where the ballots are burned. Black smoke emerging from the Sistine Chapel's chimney signals no pope has been elected, and white smoke announces a new pope has been found.

For the first time, bells also will be rung after the new pontiff is elected, the Vatican said last week, announcing changes John Paul made to eliminate any uncertainty about the color of the smoke.