Roman Catholic Cardinals prayed Sunday for spiritual guidance ahead of a closed door conclave to choose a new pope at one of the most difficult periods in its history.

Cardinals will hold a last pre-conclave meeting on Monday to fine-tune a job description for the man they think would be best-suited to lead a Church hit by sexual abuse scandals around the world as well as allegations of corruption in the Vatican itself.

The 115 cardinals who will then take part in the election from Tuesday took a day of rest from pre-conclave meetings to celebrate Masses in Rome, either in the quiet of private chapels or in the grandeur of Rome's great cathedrals and basilicas.

"The conclave is just around the corner. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit gives the Church a man who can lead her in the footsteps of the great pontiffs of the past 150 years," said Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan, at his Mass in Rome.

Scola, 71, is considered the leading Italian candidate to succeed Pope Benedict, who became the first pontiff in six centuries to abdicate instead of ruling for life last month.

Reuters