Cardinals gather for Mass before Conclave starts with voting for the next Pope

With all the pomp, drama and solemnity that the Catholic Church can muster, 133 cardinals on Wednesday begin the secretive, centuries-old ritual to elect a successor to Pope Francis , opening the most geographically diverse conclave in the faith's 2,000-year history. Hailing from 70 countries, the cardinals will be sequestered from the outside world, their cellphones surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican jammed to prevent them from all communications until they find a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member church.