Roman Catholic cardinals began meeting Saturday for the 12th and last time before the secret conclave in which 115 of them will elect a successor to the late Pope John Paul II.
The cardinals were expected to wrap up debate on the state of the Church in the world and characteristics of the man who should take the helm, as well as final preparations for the conclave opening Monday in the Sistine Chapel.
Later in the day the cardinals were to attend a ceremony marking the end of the traditional nine-day period of mourning for the late pope, who died on April 2.
And at 5:00 pm (1500 GMT), Chilean Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez is to celebrate the final requiem mass for the late pontiff.
Medina is the prefect emeritus of the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and also the man who, following the election of John Paul's successor, will announce to the world "habemus papam!" (We have a pope!).