Video tour of the conclave in 60 seconds

Roman Catholic Cardinals begin a conclave today to elect the Church's 266th pontiff and a successor to Pope Benedict, who abdicated unexpectedly last month. One of the world's oldest and most secret electoral processes will be attended by 115 cardinals who were under 80 years old when Benedict abdicated. Two other eligible cardinals are not attending - one for health reasons, one because of his involvement in a sex scandal. Ninety cardinals aged 80 or over cannot take part. The person chosen as pope does not have to be one of the cardinal electors, but in practice now always is. The elector cardinals come from 48 countries. Italians make up the biggest single national bloc, with 28 cardinals against 11 from the United States, six from Germany and five each from India and Brazil. Sixty cardinals come from Europe, 19 from Latin America, 14 from North America, 11 from Africa, 10 from Asia and one from Oceania. The cardinals will sleep in Vatican hotel Casa Santa Marta behind St Peter's Basilica. They will be banned from communicating with the outside world - no phones, television or Internet. They will start their meeting at 4:30 p.m. in the Sistine Chapel, under Michelangelo's...