Conclave voters urged to elect a pope who seeks unity and avoids personal interest

VATICAN CITY (AP) — With all the pomp, drama and solemnity that the Catholic Church can muster, 133 cardinals on Wednesday began the centuries-old ritual to elect a successor to Pope Francis, celebrating a morning Mass before opening the most geographically diverse conclave in the faith’s 2,000-year history.

During the morning Mass, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, urged the voters to find a pope who prizes unity and sets aside all personal interests. The world today needs a leader who can awaken consciences, he said.