Pope Benedict is gone but not forgotten
Retiring pope has power to influence decision of the cardinals, and the reign of his successor
Pope Benedict is gone but far from forgotten as cardinals begin voting for candidates to replace him, with his personal secretary Georg Gänswein one of the last to leave the Sistine Chapel before the start of the conclave.
"He has already influenced the outcome," said Vatican expert Bruno Bartoloni, noting that all 115 cardinals who began their secret conclave on Tuesday were named either by Benedict or his predecessor and ideological soulmate Pope John Paul II.
Indeed all three cardinals considered frontrunners to succeed Benedict - Italy's Angelo Scola, Canada's Marc Ouellet and Brazil's Odilo Scherer - are in his conservative mould.
And the German pope's "provocative" decision to become the first pope to abdicate since the Middle Ages could "influence the cardinals to make robust decisions", Bartoloni said.
Benedict cited failing strength of mind and body when he stunned the world with his decision to resign from a troubled eight-year papacy marked by scandal and intrigue.
Father Robert Sirico, head of the US-based Acton Institute think tank, insisted that Benedict had "been very careful not to insert himself into the proceedings" for his succession.