Conclave Begins To Pick Next Pope

Cardinals attend a Mass for the election of a new pope celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano inside St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican on Tuesday. Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday to elect the next pope amid more upheaval and uncertainty than the Catholic Church has seen in decades: There’s no front-runner, no indication how long voting will last and no sense that a single man has what it takes to fix the many problems. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Cardinals have begun filing into the Sistine Chapel for the conclave to elect the next pope amid deep divisions and uncertainty over who will lead the 1.2 billion-strong Catholic church and tend to its many problems. Led by prelates holding a crucifix and candles, the 115 scarlet-robed cardinals chanted the Litany of Saints, the hypnotic Gregorian chant imploring the intercession of the saints to help them choose the next pope. They then took their places in the chapel frescoed by Michelangelo with scenes of “Creation” and “The Last Judgment”/ Associated Press . More here.

Question: Which do you think plays a bigger role in picking the pope — politics or faith?