Vatican City, 12th April 2005 (CNA)
- Accredited journalists at the Vatican were
shown a video Monday of the St. Martha residence,
inaugurated by Pope John Paul II in 1995, where
the cardinals will be staying the next
conclave.
The Vatican also showed a video of the
kilometer-long journey the cardinals must take
each day in order to reach the Sistine Chapel,
where voting will take place. A minibus will
transport the cardinals along the Via delle
Fondamenta.
In addition, details about the new urns
that will hold the cast ballots were
revealed. The Apostolic Constitution
Universi Dominici Gregis requires the use of an
urn instead of two chalices to collect the votes
of those cardinals unable to leave the St. Martha
residence because of illness.
The new urns are made of gold and bronze
with engravings of Biblical symbols, especially of
a shepherd and his flock. They were designed by
Italian sculptor Cecco Bonanotte, who also
designed the new entrance doors at the Vatican
Museums, which were inaugurated during the Jubilee
Year of 2000.
The video also showed images of the stove
where the ballots will be burned after
voting. White smoke will indicate the
election of new Pontiff.
