Challenges of electing the Pope: Black smoke fills the sky of the Vatican in the first vote.
May 7, 202581 ViewsRead Time: 1 minutes
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Black smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney in the Vatican on Wednesday evening, signaling that the 133 cardinals in the conclave were unable to elect a new pope in the first round of voting.
Thousands of believers and visitors gathered in St. Peter's Square, awaiting the voting results after more than three hours of anticipation.
No candidate managed to secure the necessary two-thirds majority, which is 89 votes, meaning the voting will continue in the coming days.
The cardinals will spend their night in complete isolation in their residences within the Vatican, returning the next day to resume voting on Thursday morning.
The cardinals, who entered the church after taking a vow of secrecy, follow ancient historical rituals dating back to the Middle Ages, where they must make the difficult decision to choose a successor to Pope Francis, who passed away last month.
The voting continues until the required consensus is reached, while black smoke indicates that the voting did not lead to a decisive result. If white smoke emerges, it signals the selection of a new pope, followed by the ringing of bells at St. Peter's Cathedral to announce the new leader of the Catholic Church.
