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Photo By: NPR.org
Black smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday evening May 7, marking an inconclusive first vote by Catholic cardinals in their historic conclave to elect a new pope.
In St. Peter's Square, thousands of devout people eagerly awaited the customary signal that would indicate whether a new pope had been selected. Dark smoke billowed into the night sky more than three hours after the conclave started, signaling that the 133 cardinals had not yet obtained the two-thirds majority—at least 89 votes—needed to choose the next head of the Roman Catholic Church.
This conclave follows the death of Pope Francis on Apr. 21, whose 12-year papacy was marked by calls for reform, openness, and compassion toward marginalized communities. He was the first pope from the global south and the first Jesuit to lead the Church.
Despite the result of the ballot, Wednesday's first vote was hardly shocking. Conclaves today hardly ever end on the first day.
Now residing in Casa Santa Marta, the cardinals, all under 80, will return to the Sistine Chapel on Thursday to continue voting, casting two ballots in the morning and two in the afternoon, until a decision is made.
As the conclave began, cardinals processed solemnly into the frescoed Sistine Chapel beneath Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment,” took oaths of secrecy, and listened to the command “Extra omnes!”—Latin for “Everyone out!”—as non-voters were ushered out and the doors sealed shut.
This conclave is the largest and most international in the Church’s history, with cardinals from around 70 countries. Many are unfamiliar with one another, adding a layer of complexity to the process. While no clear frontrunner has emerged, names frequently mentioned include Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Hungary’s Peter Erdo, and American Robert Prevost.
The Church faces internal strife, a drop in Western attendance, the lingering effects of the clerical abuse crisis, and geopolitical difficulties when the new pope takes office. Cardinals are said to be split between those who support a return to the more conservative teachings and those who want to carry on Pope Francis' progressive vision.
Earlier in the day, the cardinals attended a mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, where Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals, urged them to vote with unity and humility. “Unity does not mean uniformity,” he said, stressing the need to choose a leader who can serve both the Church and a complex, changing world.
The conclave will continue until white smoke rises—signaling that the 267th pope has been elected and is ready to meet the world from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.