VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – When Roman Catholic cardinals enter the secret conclave to choose a new pope on Tuesday they will be following a ritual dating to the 13th century, when papal elections could last for years and some cardinals died during the grueling process.

The term conclave comes from the Latin for “with a key” and refers to the practice of locking cardinals away from the world’s prying eyes to allow them to choose a new pope without outside interference.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Before they get down to the business of choosing a new pope this week, the 115 elector cardinals are holding another ballot – drawing lots to decide which room they get in the Vatican guest house that will be their home during the conclave.

Some will be disappointed, because the five-storey Santa Martha House inside the walls of Vatican City, has only 106 “suites”. Despite the grandiose name, these rooms have just a single bed, bathroom and a small desk space.