On Wednesday evening, black smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, signaling that the red-clad cardinals gathered in the chapel had not elected a new pope in the first round of voting.
Thousands of believers gathered in St. Peter’s Square, eagerly awaiting the emergence of smoke from the narrow chimney atop the Sistine Chapel.
People had to wait patiently as the smoke appeared later than expected, showing up more than three hours into the secret conclave. This was an hour later than when Pope Francis was elected in 2013.
When the cardinals elect a pope, white smoke will rise from the chimney, but it was widely anticipated that this would not happen on Wednesday, as there has been no precedent in modern history of a pope being elected on the first day of a secret conclave.
However, some cardinals this week expressed hope to conclude the election of a new pope by Thursday or Friday, aiming to demonstrate unity within the Roman Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis who had served for 12 years.
A total of 133 cardinals participated in the secret election, representing 70 countries and all being under the age of 80. Following the first round of voting, they will spend the night in one of the two Vatican guesthouses, cutting off all communication with the outside world, continuing discussions in a more informal setting, and returning to the Sistine Chapel on Thursday morning.
The cardinals will conduct two rounds of voting on Thursday morning, followed by two more in the afternoon, with ongoing votes in the following days until a candidate secures at least a two-thirds majority, which in this election would require at least 89 votes.
The only connection between the electors and the outside world is the smoke emerging from the chimney, as they burn the ballots containing special chemicals. If there is no result, black smoke is released; if a pope is elected, white smoke is released.
Modern papal elections in the secret conclave are typically shorter. The 2013 election lasted only two days, as did the one that elected Pope Benedict XVI in 2005.
In recent days, the cardinals have presented different criteria in evaluating the next pope, who will lead a church with 1.4 billion members.
While some advocate for continuing the vision of Pope Francis for greater openness and reform, others wish to return to old traditions. Many express a desire for a more predictable and measured pope.
(This article is based on a report from Reuters)