After more than three hours of voting, the Vatican has released the first black smoke—an unmistakable signal that the cardinals have yet to agree on who will become the next Pope.
The conclave to elect the successor to the late Pope Francis formally began this Wednesday, with 133 cardinal electors — all under the age of 80 — gathered at the Holy See to carry out one of the Catholic Church’s most ancient rites.
The day opened at 10:00 a.m. (local time) with the Pro eligendo Pontifice Mass, held at St. Peter’s Basilica and presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals. In his homily, the prelate urged the electors to act with discernment, prayer, and a strong sense of responsibility, emphasizing the importance of the moment for the Church’s future.
At 4:15 p.m., the cardinals began their solemn procession from the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace to the Sistine Chapel, chanting litanies and the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, invoking the Holy Spirit’s guidance in their decision.
Once the historic doors of the Sistine Chapel were closed, the voting began. Outside, the faithful and the press await, eyes fixed on the chimney where the color of the smoke reveals the outcome. For now, the black smoke signals a lack of consensus.
