Cardinals arrive to celebrate special Vatican mass ahead of conclave

Cardinals from around the world arrive for a special mass at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican ahead of the conclave to elect a new pope. The mass, presided over by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, is the last rite celebrated publicly, before the cardinals are locked in to choose a successor to Pope Francis.

When Catholic cardinals vote in the conclave, they then burn their ballots, sending up black smoke to signal no decision or white smoke to show they have chosen a new pope. Since 2005, to rule out any ambiguity should the white smoke look grey, the bells of St Peter's Basilica also toll to tell the world the Church has a new pope.