The Italian newspaper La Repubblica is featuring a daily dispatch in English on matters conclavial. Here is the latest:

We were also told that over 6000 journalists from 1004 media outlets in 65 countries and 24 languages have now been accredited.The Sistine Chapel is now closed to tourists, to allow work to start on raising the floor to make it level and set up the table and chairs and two special stoves: one to burn the ballots and one to create the smoke the world will see.Tomorrow afternoon the cardinals are invited to prayers in St.Peters. The public are allowed to attend. There may also be a few journalists there praying for their eminences to set a date.

I leave for Rome domani -- unaccredited, but hopeful.

Robert P. Imbelli, a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, is a longtime Commonweal contributor.

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