Amawana – Dark smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the Vatican conclave cardinals were unable to agree on a successor to Pope Francis during their first day of deliberations.
After a solemn procession and the traditional oaths of secrecy, the 133 cardinals participating in the closed-door conclave cast their first round of votes around 5:45pm local time. Spectators fixated on the Sistine Chapel chimney — even briefly sharing the moment with a seagull that perched above — as they awaited the outcome.
At 9:05pm, the telltale black smoke emerged, prompting cheers from a crowd exceeding 45,000 in St. Peter’s Square, despite expectations that no decision would come so soon.
The election process is set to resume on Thursday, continuing until a new pontiff is chosen to follow Pope Francis, who passed away last month at the age of 88.
Among those gathered was Cinzia Caporali, visiting from Tuscany with her husband. Their trip included a stop at Pope Francis’s resting place at the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica. Caporali reflected on her memories of 2005, when Benedict XVI was elected in under two days.
“I was nearby when the white smoke rose then. I hope this new pope continues what Pope Francis stood for — a focus on the poor and marginalized, and not on wealth or pomp,” she said.
Earlier in the day, during a Mass held before the conclave began, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re — who also led the funeral rites for Pope Francis — delivered a homily urging the cardinals to set aside personal interests. He described the election as a moment of grave responsibility for the Church.
“We pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, so that the one chosen is truly who the Church and world need at this critical moment,” he said. “Let love guide you, because it is the most transformative power in existence.”
Selecting the next pope presents a challenge due to the ideological divisions among the cardinals. Pope Francis’s twelve-year tenure created a diverse College of Cardinals, some of whom support his progressive reforms, while others favor a return to more traditional doctrines. Many are meeting each other for the first time, adding to the complexity of reaching a consensus.