The atmosphere at each of these moments could not be more different. Paul VI's funeral was a quiet affair: he died in mid-summer, and the Romans don't easily give up their holiday time. John Paul I seemed to come and go like a meteor. John Paul II's funeral was nothing if not epochal; those who came for it knew they were witnessing a moment in history. But these days, in the lead-up to the Conclave, the atmosphere in Rome is quiet - people are waiting for something to happen.

Benedict's low-key departure reflects how determined he has been to "de-personalize" the office of the Pope, stressing that it is a ministry, not a personality-based task.

But the local people find this hard. For a start, they're not used - as the rest of the Catholic world is - to having a retired Bishop in their diocese. One Roman said to me, "For us the Pope is like our father - and you don't have two fathers in a family."

The Italian people find it hard live through an event like this without being able to express emotions. There's no funeral to weep at, no moments for eulogies or analyses, no chances for passionate exchanges of opinion.

Another significant factor that keeps the atmosphere rather sober is the fairly open talk of the need for an internal audit and cleaning of the workings of the Vatican Curia. Even some of the voting Cardinals are speaking openly of the need for reform and restructuring. Everyone knows that the next man has a humanly impossible task.

Fr.Craig Larkin is a New Zealand priest living in Rome

The five cardinals still to arrive in Rome include Egyptian Patriarch Antonios Naguib, and Cardinals Karl Lehmann of Germany, Jean-Baptiste Pham of Vietnam, Kazimierz Nycz of Poland and John Tong Hon of Hong Kong, the Vatican said.

Vatican spokesman the Fr Federico Lombardi said the cardinals were expected in the coming days and that there was no concern about the delay.

Lombardi said it was his sense that the cardinals in Rome want to 'understand how long is needed to properly prepare for such an important event without hurrying things in anyway".

Commenting on the absence of some cardinals Lombardi commented, "Some had important meetings of bishops to attend to."

Cardinal John Tong from Hong Kong is thought to be the last cardinal to arrive, he is expected sometime later today (NZ time). He has been on retreat.

The cardinals in Rome, Tuesday, opted not to hold formal afternoon sessions Tuesday and Wednesday rather to use the time for more informal gatherings.

Preparations however continue for the Conclave, the most obvious being the closure of the Sistine Chapel, allowing it to prepared it for the conclave and the election of a new pope.

The Chapel will also be swept for electronic bugs.

Sources

• Associated Press
• Vatican Radio
• NPR