AP
The Sistine Chapel closed to visitors on Tuesday and construction work got under way to prepare it for the conclave that will choose the next pope, but five cardinals had yet to arrive for the preparatory meetings designed to acquaint themselves with one another and discuss the state of the Catholic Church.
The Vatican insisted nothing was amiss and that the five cardinals would be present in the coming days. But their absence prompted questions about what could possibly be more important than participating in these days of discernment and discussion to decide who will succeed Benedict XVI, who retired last week.
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