Some 133 cardinal electors -- aged under 80 -- have gathered at the Vatican from five continents to pick a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month after a 12-year-long papacy.
In a time of geopolitical uncertainty, the new pope faces diplomatic balancing acts, as well as Church infighting, the continued fall-out from the clerical child abuse scandal, and increasingly empty pews in the West.
It will be the last rite to be celebrated publicly before the Church's 267th pope is presented to the world from a balcony of St Peter's Basilica, several hours or perhaps days later.
Both Francis and his predecessor Benedict XVI were elected within two days, but the longest papal election in Church history lasted 1,006 days, from 1268 to 1271.
The cardinals are staying at the Vatican's Santa Marta guesthouse -- where Francis used to live -- and Santa Marta Vecchia, a building next door usually housing Vatican officials.
They then proceed into the 15th-century Sistine Chapel for the conclave, which is “one of the most secret and mysterious events in the world”, the Vatican said on Tuesday.
Under a ceiling of frescoes painted by Michelangelo, Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin -- the senior elector -- will call on God to give the cardinals “the spirit of intelligence, truth and peace” needed.
The cardinals have spent days discussing the most pressing challenges facing the Catholic Church and the character traits its new leader needs.
Some 80 percent of the cardinals were appointed by Francis -- an impulsive, charismatic defender of the weak.
More than a dozen names are circulating, from Italian Pierbattista Pizzaballa to Hungary's Peter Erdo and Sri Lanka's Malcolm Ranjith.
They also each pledge to “faithfully” serve as pope should they be chosen, before the master of liturgical ceremonies says “Extra omnes” (”Everyone out”).
They then carry them, folded, and place them on a silver plate which is used to tip them into an urn, set on a table in front of Michelangelo's Last Judgment.
Outside, hundreds of the faithful are expected to gather on St Peter's Square, all eyes trained on the Sistine Chapel chimney, with a result expected by early evening.
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