A plume of black smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel this evening indicated that the cardinals gathered there had cast their first votes in the process of choosing a new pope, and no decision had yet been made.

The cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel in Rome after holding a special mass at St Peter's Basilica this morning.

The cardinals chanted Veni Creator (Come, Creator) to invoke the Holy Spirit’s guidance as they slowly marched into the chapel

A total of 115 cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in a series of secret ballots and a decision is widely expected before Friday, although voting could stretch on into next week.

Corriere della Sera, Italy’s biggest-selling daily newspaper, said that most Vatican-watchers believe that the white smoke, signalling the election of a pope, will appear on Wednesday or at the latest Thursday.

The cardinals continued lobbying all weekend, according to La Repubblica. "Up to yesterday afternoon, there were still frenetic contacts, meetings, telephone discussions between the cardinals, between groups, between mediators."

The ultra-conservative Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany was the favourite, according to the paper, with the Italian Carlo Maria Martini being backed by more liberal cardinals.

The Rome daily Il Messaggero said that the next papacy would be decided between Cardinal Ratzinger and Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, the "very popular archbishop of Honduras, friend of U2’s Bono and pilot". Other outside chances included Argentina’s Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Ivan Dias of India and Austria’s Christoph Schoenborn.

One UK bookmaker has Cardinal Ratzinger on odds of 4/1, with Frances Arinze of Nigeria on 3/1, Cardinal Maradiaga is 16/1 and Cardinal Maria Martini 13/2.

Thousands of faithful attended this morning's mass and some want an Italian to assume the role once more. John Paul II was the first non-Italian Pope in more than 400 years.

"I really want an Italian," said Mario Colonna, a Roman pensioner, whop hoped Cardinal Maria Martini, former archbishop of Milan, or his successor Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi would get the nod.

"Because the Church in Rome represents the whole world, it is natural that he be an Italian," he said.

But his daughter Gilda disagreed. "If he represents the whole world, he doesn’t need to be Italian. I want the Brazilian, to help the children there," she said, referring to Cardinal Claudio Hummes, archbishop of Sao Paolo.

Father Martin of Germany believed that it would be difficult for Europeans to accept a non-European pope. "I would like a pope from Asia, Latin America or Africa because it would show the openness of the Church, but it will be difficult for Europeans to adapt," said the priest, who lives in Rome.

Many tourists also joined the cardinals at Mass. Sue Pike from Hertfordshire, on vacation in Rome with her family, said: "It’s a moment in history. It has changed the whole feeling of our holiday," she said.

Cardinal Ratzinger, the dean of the College of Cardinals, conducted the special pro eligendo summo pontifice (to elect a supreme pontiff) mass this morning.

Only at the very end line of his homily did Cardinal Ratzinger, 78, refer specifically to the task of selecting a new pope.

"At this time, above all, we pray with insistence to the Lord, so that after the great gift of Pope John Paul II, he again gives us a pastor according to his own heart, a pastor who guides us to knowledge in Christ, to his love and to true joy."

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