On Friday, Mar. 1, after the Vatican Pope Benedict XVI officially stepped down, Catholic Cardinals began their process of electing the new Vatican leader to head the world’s largest church. Because the Catholic Church has not invoked such procedures for approximately six centuries, the leaders of the Church will first hold an informal meeting before the traditional rounds of talk to choose the new pope begin tomorrow, Mar. 3.

Until now, there is no prominent candidate among the 115 cardinals that is under the age of 80. Until a new pope is elected, the general secretary of the Vatican Church will temporarily carry out the Pope’s duties (Author not mentioned, al-Ahrām, Mar. 2, p. 7). Read original text in Arabic.