Vatican Plans for Earlier Papal Conclave
By: Big 2 News Staff
Updated: February 18, 2013
Catholic cardinals could gather sooner than expected to choose a new Pope.
With the shocking news this week of Pope Benedict the 16th's impending resignation... the Vatican plans to elect a new leader before Easter.
The Holy See first said that would happen between March 15th and March 19th.
Now a Vatican spokesman says a conclave could start before March 15th... if all 117 of the church's cardinals are already in Rome.
The Conclave of Cardinals will vote on a new pontiff.
But that's unlikely to happen before Benedict's departure.
He's stepping down on February 28th.
