Cardinals resume Papal deliberations as Conclave Continues today.

Cardinals are due to begin their second day of deliberations in the Vatican conclave that will elect a new pope, after reaching no decision on Tuesday.

The 115 cardinal-electors are shut off in the Sistine Chapel until two-thirds agree on a leader for the world's 1.2bn Catholics.

Black smoke signalling an inconclusive first vote drew cheers from crowds in St Peter's Square on Tuesday evening.

There is no clear frontrunner to replace Pope Benedict XVI.

The 85-year-old stepped down last month, saying he was no longer strong enough to lead the Church, which is beset by problems ranging from a worldwide scandal over child sex abuse to allegations of corruption at the Vatican Bank.

Who's Gonna be The Next Pope as Conclave Begins

Cardinals have entered the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, where they will begin voting to elect a new Pope.

The 115 cardinal-electors were locked in the chapel after swearing an oath of secrecy.

They will vote four times daily until two-thirds can agree on a candidate.

The election was prompted by the surprise abdication of Benedict XVI. There is no clear frontrunner to take over from him as head of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Vatican: Conclave To Elect Pope To Begin On Tuesday

Roman Catholic cardinals will start their conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI on March 12, the Vatican says.

The secret vote to elect a new Pope is set to begin next Tuesday at the Vatican.

The Vatican press office said the decision was taken during a vote Friday afternoon of the College of Cardinals.

Only Cardinals who are under the age of 80 - 115 of them - can take part in the election, which is held behind locked doors in the Sistine Chapel.

Potential Pope: WHO takes Over from Benedict XVI?

With Pope Benedict XVI now officially in retirement, Catholic cardinals from around the world begin on Friday the complex, cryptic and uncertain process of picking the next leader of the world's largest church. 



Some details are still unclear, owing to Benedict's break with the tradition that papacies end with a pope's death, so these "princes of the Church" will first hold an informal session before traditional rounds of talks begin on Monday.



No front-runner stands out among the 115 cardinal electors - those aged under 80 - due to enter the Sistine Chapel for the conclave that picks the new pope, so discreetly sizing up potential candidates will be high on the cardinals' agenda.

Benedict XVI leaves Vatican on final day as Pope

Pope Benedict XVI has left the Vatican on his final day as Pope.

The 85-year-old pontiff is being flown by helicopter to the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome.

At 19:00 GMT he will cease to be the pontiff. His deputy, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, will be in charge of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics until a new pope is elected next month.

Earlier, Benedict met his cardinals, vowing "unconditional obedience and reverence" to his eventual successor.

Church bells rang as the pontiff boarded the helicopter shortly after 16:00 local time.

Before that, top officials in the Curia - the administrative body that runs the Holy See, greeted applause rippled around the Vatican as the Pope for the last time.

Benedict XVI holds final papal audience in Vatican

Pope Benedict XVI is making his final address to a general audience in St Peter's Square in the Vatican before his resignation on Thursday.

He told the crowd of thousands it was a heavy burden when he took up the papacy in April 2005 but he had been guided by God and felt his presence every day.

Up to 200,000 people are expected to attend the audience, which - unusually for winter - is taking place outdoors.

There has not been a papal resignation since Gregory XII in 1415.

After Benedict XVI steps down, he will become known as "pope emeritus".

The surprise announcement of his abdication has required the rules of electing a successor to be changed to allow the next pope to be chosen before Holy Week, which leads up to Easter.

Lightning hits St Peter's After Pope Benedict Resignation. A signal from above?

A sign from GOD? As Lighting strikes the basilica of St.Peter's dome in Rome on the same day Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation.

The Catholic Church was thrown into turmoil today after Pope Benedict XVI made the shock decision to quit the papacy because of his deteriorating health.

In a decision that has surprised even his closest aides, the 85-year-old Pontiff said his strength was 'no longer adequate to continue in office due to his advanced age'.