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• NORTH KOREA MOURNS | 9:20 a.m. ET
North Korea, an officially atheist state, reports that Catholics in the country are holding memorial services in Pyongyang and across the country in honor of the pope.
The official KCNA news agency cited a condolence message it said had been sent to the Vatican by Samuel Jang Jae On, described as chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Catholics Association.
"All the Catholic believers of our country are also offering memorial service in deep grief at the Jangchung cathedral in Pyongyang and family worship places across the country," Jang said, according to KCNA.
• BELLS FOR THE POPE | 8:25 a.m. ET
In a break with tradition, the white smoke that signals the election of a new pontiff will be accompanied by the ringing of bells in the Vatican.
Archbishop Piero Marini, master of ceremonies for liturgical celebrations, say the bells were being added to avoid confusion over the color of the smoke coming from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.
In the past, depending on the weather, the color of the smoke wasn't always clear to the faithful gathered outside.
• SECRET CARDINAL TO BE REVEALED? | 6:11 a.m. ET
As they gather to arrange the pope's funeral and begin the process of selecting a new pontiff, the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church — who are sworn to secrecy on their deliberations — are reviewing any papers the pope may have left for them.
It is believed one such document may reveal the name of a mysterious cardinal John Paul said he had named in 2003 but had never publicly identified. The cardinal is called “in pectore,” or “in the heart” — a formula that has been used when the pope wants to name a cardinal in a country where the church is oppressed.
• PILGRIMS ENDURE CHILLY NIGHT | 4:15 a.m. ET
A sea of faithful filed past Pope John Paul II’s body in St. Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday, many having endured a long and cold wait.
“It was extremely cold during the night, but we were warm towards each other. People were lending each other blankets and praying together,” said Lina Cardella, who traveled from Naples with her husband and two daughters and lined up for five hours.
• CHURCH TO CUT TIES WITH TAIWAN? | 2:30 a.m. ET
The Vatican’s pursuit of greater influence over the world's Catholics continues amid preparations for the funeral of Pope John Paul II.
The Church may be willing to cut ties with Taiwan and set up relations with China if Beijing could guarantee religious freedom, the head of the Hong Kong Roman Catholic diocese said on Tuesday.
“If the Chinese government is willing to grant real freedom to the church in mainland China, then the Vatican would reluctantly be willing to give up its diplomatic relations with Taiwan,” Bishop Joseph Zen told Reuters.
“The unfair thing is, Beijing wants the Vatican to stop its relations with Taiwan first before it will talk with the Vatican.”
China severed relations with the Holy See in the 1950s after expelling foreign clergy. Believers must attend state-sanctioned churches which pledge loyalty to Beijing instead of the Vatican, though many worship the Pope in secret.
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