The Vatican has announced that the telephone signal will be cut off in the tiny city-state during the conclave to elect a new pope, but this will not affect St. Peter's Square.
The governor's office of the Vatican City-State said, "From 3:00 p.m. on May 7, all telecommunications systems for mobile phones operating in the Vatican will be cut off."
"The signal will be restored after the announcement of the election of the Pope," the statement said.
However, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told reporters that the cutoff will not include St. Peter's Square. Thousands of faithful will gather in the square to await the announcement of the election of the successor to Pope Francis, who died on April 21.
Tomorrow, 133 cardinals worldwide will gather in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. They have already arrived at the Vatican.
Bruni said the election is being held in strict secrecy, and cardinals must leave their mobile phones behind when entering the conclave.
