ROME (AP) — On the seventh day, they rested. And prayed.
Cardinals preparing for next Tuesday's conclave have been meeting for six days to discuss the future of the Roman Catholic Church. Today, they took a break to celebrate Mass at what are called their "titular" churches. Those are the parish churches in Rome that they're assigned when they're appointed -- forging a symbolic bond with the pope, who's also Bishop of Rome.
Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley, who's thought to have an outside chance of succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, worshipped at Holy Mary of Victory Church. He was introduced by a priest who said he hopes the American's next visit is as pope.
The formal pre-conclave meetings resume in the morning.
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148-w-35-(Mark Smith, AP correspondent, with Milan Cardinal Angelo Scola and Friar Peter Damian Massengill of Rome's Church of the Twelve Holy Apostles)--Cardinals preparing to choose a new pope have taken a day off from their pre-conclave discussions so they celebrate Mass at local churches in Rome. AP correspondent Mark Smith reports. ((Opens with sound)) (10 Mar 2013)
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149-r-26-(Sound of Milan's Cardinal Angelo Scola, delivering the homily during Mass at the Church of the Twelve Holy Apostles)--Sound of Milan's Cardinal Angelo Scola, delivering the homily during Mass at the Church of the Twelve Holy Apostles. (10 Mar 2013)
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APPHOTO GB117: Cardinal Marc Ouellet celebrates Mass at the Santa Maria in Transpontina church in Rome, Sunday, March 10, 2013. Canada's Ouellet once said that being pope "would be a nightmare." He would know, having enjoyed the confidence of two popes as a top-ranked Vatican insider. His high-profile position as head of the Vatican's office for bishops, his conservative leanings, his years in Latin America and his work in Rome as president of a key commission for Latin America all make him a favorite to become the first pontiff from the Americas. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (10 Mar 2013)
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APPHOTO AJM130: New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan, second from right, poses for a photo as he leaves the Saint Mary of Guadalupe church after celebrating mass, in Rome, Sunday March 10, 2013. Cardinals from around the world gather this week in a conclave to elect a new pope following the stunning resignation of Benedict XVI. In the secretive world of the Vatican, there is no way to know who is in the running, and history has yielded plenty of surprises. Yet several names have come up time repeatedly as strong contenders for the job. Timothy Dolan, is among those considered to have a credible shot at the papacy. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) (10 Mar 2013)
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