Black smoke plumed over the Vatican into the night sky in Rome on Wednesday, signaling the historic papal conclave did not reach consensus on a successor to Pope Francis − and the cardinals will reconvene at the Sistine Chapel on Thursday.
Thousands continued to pack St. Peter’s Square as darkness fell, all eyes watching for smoke from the iconic chapel’s chimneys.
∎ Earlier Wednesday, a solemn procession of 130 elector cardinals from across the globe moved slowly into the chapel, chanting the “Litany of the Saints.” The cardinals each recited an oath pledging to follow the rules of the conclave.
∎ When the doors finally closed, the cardinals went into seclusion for the first round of voting.
∎ The secretive process is expected to take mutiple days and will result in new leadership for the world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics.
The electors have been banned since medieval times from communicating with outsiders during conclaves. In keeping with current times, the Vatican has taken high-tech measures to ensure secrecy, including the use of jamming devices.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the group’s Mass at the start of the day for the Election of the Roman Pontiff at St. Peter’s Basilica. He called for unity in faith and prayer and said the new pope is facing a “difficult, complex and troubled turning point in history.”
Cardinal Robert McElroy, archbishop of Washington, D.C., called the conclave process “profound and mysterious,” and said of any possible favorites to succeed Francis: “I can give you no insights into who is ahead.”
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More than 200 of the 266 popes were natives of Italy, although it’s been 47 years since an Italian served as pontiff. Francis was the first from Latin America; there have been none hailing from the U.S. Numerous cardinals from Italy and other nations are considered contenders.
A battle for the soul of the church: What’s at stake in conclave this week
With no clear favorite for election, first smoke signal likely to be black
The first smoke signal indicating whether a pope has been chosen was expected Wednesday evening in Rome after the cardinals conduct their initial vote of the conclave.
That smoke that billows from the Sistine Chapel chimney will probably be black, indicating no decision has been reached. A quick resolution seems unlikely in a gathering with no clear favorite to succeed Pope Francis and differing views about whether the church should follow the progressive path he set or take a more conservative direction.
Despite his low profile at the time, it took less than two days for then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina to earn the two-thirds majority of votes required, as he became the first Latin American pontiff in 2013. Now the world will await however long it takes to greet the white smoke that will signal a new pope has been elected.
When does the new pope get chosen?
It has been centuries since a candidate emerged with the two-thirds majority required to become pope on the first ballot. The cardinals can vote only once Wednesday, then likely will need to reconvene Thursday morning. A Mass will be celebrated in the Pauline Chapel before they return to the Sistine Chapel for midmorning prayer and that day’s rounds of voting. Up to four rounds of voting are permitted each day.
At the conclusion of Thursday’s voting, there will an evening prayer before they return to their lodging at Casa Santa Marta. If the votes failed to result in someone receiving a two-thirds majority, they will return for more voting Friday − and as many days as is required to elect a pontiff.
After a cardinal receives the required number of votes and agrees to take on the monumental task, white smoke will signal his selection.
