VATICAN CITY – Thick black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney on Wednesday evening, confirming that Roman Catholic cardinals have not yet agreed on a new pope after their first round of voting.
More than 130 cardinal electors, secluded in the chapel since morning, failed to secure the two-thirds majority required to choose a successor to the papacy. The result came after over three hours of anticipation, with tens of thousands gathered in St Peter’s Square watching for the traditional smoke signal that would indicate either a successful or inconclusive vote.
The black smoke marked the end of the day’s only ballot, meaning the cardinals will return Thursday for up to four more rounds of voting. According to Vatican procedure, if no decision is reached after three days, a break is taken for prayer and reflection before voting resumes.
The secretive nature of the conclave process means that details of the vote remain unknown, and are expected to stay that way until after the new pope is elected and the proceedings are made public.
Vatican City has become a magnet for pilgrims, clergy, journalists, and tourists as the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics await the name of their next spiritual leader. Streets around St Peter’s Basilica, including the prominent Via della Conciliazione, are flooded with observers, some camping out to witness history unfold.
The cardinals are scheduled to celebrate Mass Thursday morning before resuming the next rounds of voting behind closed doors in the ornate Sistine Chapel.
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