Pope Francis, the Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, appears on the St. Peter's Basilica's balcony after being elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday, March 13, at the Vatican.
Rome (CNN) -- Vatican workmen scaled the roof of the Sistine Chapel Saturday, as they installed the chimney which will release the black or white smoke that signifies whether a new pope has been elected.
The chimney is the first publicly visible sign of the preparations going on inside the chapel, which is where the Roman Catholic cardinals will gather on Tuesday for the start of the conclave -- the secret papal election.
Footage released by the Vatican has shown the installation of two stoves inside the chapel. One is used to burn the cardinals' ballots after they are cast and the other to send up the smoke signal.
If no one has won, a chemical is added to make the smoke black. This lets people waiting in St. Peter's Square below -- and the people watching on TV around the world -- know what is happening.
Pope Benedict XVI speaks to the faithful for the last time from the balcony of his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, on Thursday, February 28.
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White smoke means a new pope has been chosen.
If the smoke is released after dark, a spotlight will be trained on the chimney so that it can still be seen, Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said Saturday.
The stove will be tested before the conclave to make sure it can produce smoke, Lombardi said, but privately, so as not to cause too much excitement.
The cardinals met Saturday morning for the latest in a series of sessions known as General Congregations.
These are open to all the cardinals, not just those aged under 80, and are an important part of the preparations for the election.
As well as getting to know their counterparts from around the world, the cardinals discuss the major issues facing the church, including its handling of allegations of child sex abuse by priests and a scandal over leaks from the Vatican last year that revealed claims of corruption, as well as the church's future direction.
The final General Congregation will take place on Monday, the Vatican said. More than 130 cardinals have already spoken at the meetings.
Once the conclave starts, the 115 cardinal-electors can't leave Vatican City until the process is done and aren't allowed to speak with anyone outside of the conclave.
They stay in a Vatican hotel, Casa Santa Marta, for the duration and, in line with tradition, drew lots for their rooms during Saturday's meeting.
'Praying a lot'
The cardinal-electors will move into Santa Marta first thing on Tuesday, the Vatican said. They will then attend a special morning Mass in St. Peter's Basilica.
The first vote will be held that afternoon, with subsequent ballots cast over the following days until one of the contenders gains the two-thirds majority that means he is elected head of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.
The longest conclave held since the turn of the 20th century lasted five days.
The Sistine Chapel, whose famous ceiling was painted by Renaissance artist Michelangelo, has been closed to tourists while the preparations for the conclave are made.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, one of about a dozen leading candidates to become pope, wrote in a blog post Friday that he misses New York after 10 days and is sorry he won't be there on St. Patrick's Day.
"We cardinals sure are praying a lot," he said.
Contrary to media reports, he said, the focus of the cardinals' meetings is much the same as it was two millenia ago, namely: "How most effectively to present the Person, message, and invitation of Jesus to a world that, while searching for salvation and eternal truth, are also at times doubting, skeptical, too busy, or frustrated."
This means discussions on such subjects as preaching, teaching the faith, care of the poor and sick, and support for the church's clergy and the families that make up their congregations, Dolan said.
"Those are the 'big issues.' You may find that hard to believe, since the 'word on the street' is that all we talk about is corruption in the Vatican, sexual abuse, money. Do these topics come up? Yes! Do they dominate? No!" he wrote.
Ring destroyed
Meanwhile, the Italian press is full of speculation about which cardinal may win enough support from his counterparts to be elected, and what regional alliances are being formed.
The United States has 11 of the 115 votes, making it the second largest national bloc after Italy.
Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said Saturday that the symbolic Fisherman's Ring and the seal that Benedict XVI used as pope have been scratched to render them invalid.
Three other symbols of Benedict XVI's papacy were destroyed in the same way, he said. The next pope will get a new Fisherman's Ring and seal with his own name on it after he is elected.
Benedict XVI resigned 10 days ago, becoming the first pontiff to do so in six centuries.
CNN's Dan Rivers and Richard Allen Greene reported from Rome and Laura Smith-Spark wrote in London. Hada Messia in Rome contributed to this report.
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White smoke billowing from the Sistine Chapel signals a new pope has been chosen on Wednesday, March 13. The 115 cardinal-electors, meeting in strict secrecy, needed to reach a two-thirds plus one vote to elect the 266th pontiff.
A woman looks to the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on St. Peter's Square, waiting for the smoke on March 13.
Black smoke billows from the chimney, indicating that the College of Cardinals has failed to elect a new pope on March 13.
A woman prays while she waits for the selection of a new pope on March 13.
A nun waits for the results at the Vatican on March 13.
People use flags as shelter from the rain on March 13 in Vatican City.
A seagull stands on a statue of St. Peter as Catholics and other observers await the results on March 13.
People wait under umbrellas for the College of Cardinals to elect a new pope.
A seagull perches on a statue in St. Peter's Square on March 13.
People shelter under umbrellas while they wait in St. Peter's Square for news on the election of a new pope on March 13 in Vatican City.
Crowds gather in St. Peter's Square on the second day of the conclave on March 13.
Cardinals attend the religious Mass Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, Vatican City, on March 12. The Catholic Church's 115 cardinal electors are taking part in the Mass ahead of entering the conclave for a papal election that observers say has no clear favorite.
A pilgrim prays in St. Peter's Square as cardinals attend mass before entering the conclave on March 12, in Vatican City, Vatican.
A few pilgrims are present in St. Peter's Square as night falls on Monday, March 11.
St. Peter's Basilica is seen at sunset on the eve of the conclave on March 11.
Nigerian Cardinal John Onaiyekan is surrounded by media on March 11 as he leaves the final congregation before cardinals enter the conclave to vote for a new pope.
Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet is photographed by media as he leaves the final congregation on March 11.
Fernando Canini, administrator of the Museo delle Cere (wax museum), prepares the figure of Pope Benedict XVI at the museum on March 11 in Rome.
Tourists take in the view from the cupola on St. Peter's Basilica on March 10.
People gather at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Sunday, March 10, ahead of the cardinals' conclave.
Nuns pray inside St. Peter's Basilica on March 10.
Priests pray in front of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Saturday, March 9.
Vatican City firefighters set up the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel on March 9 ahead of the papal conclave.
Vatican workers made final preparations on the Sistine Chapel on March 9.
Members of the Vatican Fire Brigade install the chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel on March 9.
Workers set up inside the Sistine Chapel as preparations begin before the papal conclave on March 9.
The sun sets over St Peter's Basilica as cardinals prepare to vote for a new pope on March 9.
French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin greets colleagues as he arrives for a pre-conclave meeting on Saturday, March 9.
The stoves that will signal the outcome of papal voting are installed inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on March 8.
Italian Cardinals Angelo Scola (left) and Ennio Antonelli arrive for a pre-conclave meeting on Friday, March 8.
Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson of Ghana arrives at the Vatican on March 8.
Cardinal Ruben Salazar Gomez of Colombia arrives for a meeting on March 9.
Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan of the United States arrives for a meeting on March 9.
Cardinals Odilo Scherrer (left) of Brazil and Geraldo Agnelo of Italy arrive for a meeting at the Vatican on March 9.
Two painters prepare the walls of the Sistine Chapel on Friday, March 8 in advance of the papal conclave.
A woman watches a screen showing the departure of Pope Benedict XVI from Vatican City on February 28.
Pope Benedict XVI waves to the crowd from a balcony upon his arrival in Castel Gandolfo.
Nuns wait for Pope Benedict XVI in Castel Gandolfo, Italy.
A crowd packs Castel Gandolfo for Pope Benedict XVI's final appearance.
A nun looks out from the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo.
People watch a giant screen showing the departure of Pope Benedict XVI from Vatican City.
Nuns watch from Vatican City as Pope Benedict XVI leaves the balcony of the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.
The faithful gather for a last farewell to Pope Benedict XVI.
The helicopter with Pope Benedict XVI aboard flies past St. Peter's Square.
People crowd the gallery on top of St. Peter's Basilica as a helicopter carrying Pope Benedict XVI passes by on its way out of Vatican City.
Pope Benedict XVI walks away from the window at Castel Gandolfo for the last time as head of the Catholic Church. He started his retirement February 28.
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