Final Preparations Made for Conclave

Cardinals destroyed Pope John Paul II’s ring and lead seal Saturday to formally end his reign, while the Vatican expressed confidence that jamming devices and other precautions would keep the name of the new pontiff secret until it is announced from a balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

The official nine-day mourning period for John Paul, which began with a funeral attended by world leaders and hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, ended with a Mass celebrated Saturday afternoon in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The destruction of John Paul’s Fisherman’s Ring and the seal came as the cardinals held their last meeting before they sequester themselves in the Sistine Chapel on Monday to begin the process to choose a successor.

Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said “specialized technicians” of the Vatican Police had made sure no communications could emerge from the chapel and he said he was confident that there would be no leaks from the conclave.

Asked whether the measures would prevent cellphones and other devices from working in the Sistine Chapel, Navarro-Valls suggested that journalists visiting the chapel Saturday give their own phones a try.

“Try them, and if they work, it went badly,” he said.

During the visit, many cellphones didn’t work, but a few got reception. A Swiss Guard said he did not know whether other measures would be taken. Guards said the jamming devices were under a false floor on which the cardinals will sit.