The conclave to elect a new Pope has been hit by a controversy after an African cardinal claimed he ‘hadn’t been invited’.

Cardinal John Njue, 79, is eligible to join the other 133 cardinals, from 70 countries, who are gathering in the Vatican for the start of the secretive process, which begins this afternoon in the Sistine Chapel.

But in an interview, the Kenyan clergyman suggested dark forces were at work in a scenario that could have come straight out of Ralph Fiennes’ papal blockbuster Conclave.

Speaking to Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation, Cardinal Njue said:’ Those who go there for the election are usually sent official invites, and that has not happened on my part.

‘The fact is that I have not been invited. I don’t know why I’ve been excluded; if I’m not there, it’s not because I am in poor health.’

Italian media immediately jumped on his comments and said it had ‘sparked mystery and intrigue’.

John Cardinal Njue

Cardinal Njue, who is the Archbishop of Nairobi, has been at the forefront of preparations for the conclave after he and another African cardinal had their ‘official ages’ revised by the Vatican.

Earlier this month, the Vatican updated its directory to say that Cardinal Njue was born in 1946, changing it from 1944, making him eligible to vote in the conclave.

While Cardinal Philippe Quedraogo had his date of birth listed initially as January 1945, making him too old as the cut off is 80 for the conclave but it was then revised to December 1945, meaning he could vote.

In a statement, Cardinal Njue’s diocese in Nairobi appeared to contradict him as they insisted he was ‘unable to take part because of ill health’, adding ‘let us pray for his good health’.

Cardinal Njue was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict in 2007 and is seen as a conservative, strong on family values and traditional Church teachings, and not cut from the same cloth as the more liberal Pope Francis.

A Vatican spokesperson insisted that Cardinal Njue had ‘been invited but was not attending because of poor health’.

One commentator said:’ It’s an intriguing situation – the cardinal claims he isn’t ill and the Vatican says he is – who is telling the truth? Does someone not want him at the conclave?’

Cardinals will gather this morning at 10 am local time for a mass inside St Peter’s Basilica led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, before heading off to the Sistine Chapel this afternoon for the first vote to decide who will succeed Pope Francis, who died last month aged 88.

Liturgical ceremonies

Once at the Chapel, the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, will shout out in Latin, ‘Extra omnes,’ ‘all out,’ and anyone not eligible to vote leaves, the doors close, and the process will begin.

On Tuesday, the 133 cardinals who are eligible to vote gathered at the Santa Marta guest house in the Vatican, where they will stay for the duration of the conclave, cut off from the outside world. 

They will not have access to any electronic communication, and the Sistine Chapel has also been swept for bugs to ensure no one can listen in as the cardinals debate who should lead the Catholic Church.

The telephone signal will also be jammed from 3 pm so that no one can contact them as they debate under the hallowed, frescoed ceiling of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, ‘guided only by God and the Holy Spirit’ as to who should be Pope.

The first votes will be cast this evening, and the world will know the outcome when smoke is seen coming from the roof of the Sistine Chapel – white smoke means a Pope has been chosen, while black means the jury is still out.

The winner is whoever gets two-thirds of the votes, and tonight’s first smoke is expected to be black while some Italian. The media is speculating that a decision could come as early as Thursday night.

To get the colour of the smoke, the ballot papers are burnt and chemicals are added, and there are two votes in the morning and two in the afternoon, with the cardinals returning to Santa Marta in between for meals.

Wine is allowed but spirits are banned, and the favourite at the moment is said to be Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis’ number two and Vatican Secretary of State, who is said to have around 50 cardinals backing him.

In the last Conclave to elect Pope Francis, cardinals took two days, and it was the same length of time for Pope Benedict. The shortest Conclave was ten hours, while the longest was just under three years in 1294.