From the early hours, thousands of people were expected to make their way to St Peter's Square for the first of two historic, ticket-only ceremonies.

Later this morning Archbishop Brady will kneel before the Pope and receive his red biretta as a sign of his new status as a member of the College of Cardinals.

This will be the central part of an ancient ceremony, which was previously held in private prior to a public service.

During the hour-long service, which begins at 9.30pm, the Pope will lead the worship and give an address.

Each of the 13 cardinals-nominate will kneel before the pope in turn, and the first will be Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

He is also expected to address the pope on behalf of his fellow cardinals.

Dr Brady will be the ninth cardinal-nominate to kneel in front of the Pope.

Senior figures from Church and state will be part of the audience in St Peter's Square.

Taking a special place of honour will be Dr Brady's wider family, including his brother Con, sister-in-law Bernadette and their sons Andrew and Philip, and also his sister Kitty Mulligan, brother-in-law Augustin and niece Andrea.

Nearly 100 friends and supporters from Dr Brady's home county of Cavan will be present, and also his former class-mates from Maynooth and the Irish College in Rome.

Prior to the service Dr Brady told the Belfast Telegraph he would be slightly nervous "because everything is so new, but I will be buoyed up by the good wishes I have received from so many quarters".

Following the service in St Peter's, the new Cardinal Brady will hold a press conference at the Irish College, followed by a private lunch at the college.

In the afternoon well-wishers will have a chance to meet the Primate, from 4.30pm-6.30pm in the Vatican Palace.

The second part of the Consistory will be held in St Peter's Square tomorrow at 9.30am when the Pope will give Cardinal Brady his ring, and the name of his Titular church in Rome.

This symbolises each new cardinal's personal relationship with the Pope, who is the Bishop of Rome.

This service will also be televised by RTE1.

On Monday morning the weekend ceremonies will be completed by a papal audience, and at 5pm Primate Brady will celebrate his first Mass as a cardinal, at the Lateran Basilica where he was ordained in 1964.

He will remain in Rome for two more days and then return to Dublin on Thursday morning. He will be greeted by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and then travel north, visiting several places, in time for an 8pm mass in St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh.