Black Smoke Signals No New Pope as Vatican Conclave Votes Fail
The first round of voting in the Vatican conclave ends without a successor to the Papacy, indicated by black smoke from the Sistine Chapel.
On Wednesday evening, shortly after 8:30 PM local time, black smoke emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that no candidate among the 133 voting cardinal electors received the necessary two-thirds majority to become the next Pope.
This outcome is not unusual during the initial round of voting, as achieving a consensus on the first attempt is historically rare.
Moving forward, the cardinal electors are scheduled to hold up to four sessions per day.
According to reports, should a new Pope be elected during the morning session's first round, an announcement is anticipated between 10:00 and 10:30 AM. If no decision is reached, the outcome of the second round will be announced between 11:30 AM and 12:00 PM. In the afternoon, if a decision is made in the first round, the announcement will be expected around 5:30 to 6:00 PM, and if not, results from the second round will be disclosed between 7:00 and 7:30 PM.
Should there be no decision by the fifth day, a period of prayer and discussion will take place, followed by up to seven additional rounds of voting.
If these rounds are unsuccessful, another pause will be observed before proceeding with the process.
Past conclaves have witnessed the election of Popes in varying rounds, with Pope Benedict XVI elected in the fourth round in 2005 and Pope Francis in the fifth round in 2013.
This conclave is seen as a significant political, religious, and media event, with various internal lobbying efforts and external political pressures expected to influence the outcome.
A key issue within the Church that is anticipated to shape discussions is the handling of sexual abuse cases involving minors.
The media has extensively covered Cardinal Peter Erdő's prospects in the papal election, while little attention has been given to the other Hungarian cardinal.
On the morning of the conclave's commencement, it was suggested that Erdő may face competition from another Hungarian candidate.
However, Cardinal László Német of Belgrade, who was elevated to the rank of cardinal last year, is not considered a leading contender but may play a relevant role in the proceedings.
This outcome is not unusual during the initial round of voting, as achieving a consensus on the first attempt is historically rare.
Moving forward, the cardinal electors are scheduled to hold up to four sessions per day.
According to reports, should a new Pope be elected during the morning session's first round, an announcement is anticipated between 10:00 and 10:30 AM. If no decision is reached, the outcome of the second round will be announced between 11:30 AM and 12:00 PM. In the afternoon, if a decision is made in the first round, the announcement will be expected around 5:30 to 6:00 PM, and if not, results from the second round will be disclosed between 7:00 and 7:30 PM.
Should there be no decision by the fifth day, a period of prayer and discussion will take place, followed by up to seven additional rounds of voting.
If these rounds are unsuccessful, another pause will be observed before proceeding with the process.
Past conclaves have witnessed the election of Popes in varying rounds, with Pope Benedict XVI elected in the fourth round in 2005 and Pope Francis in the fifth round in 2013.
This conclave is seen as a significant political, religious, and media event, with various internal lobbying efforts and external political pressures expected to influence the outcome.
A key issue within the Church that is anticipated to shape discussions is the handling of sexual abuse cases involving minors.
The media has extensively covered Cardinal Peter Erdő's prospects in the papal election, while little attention has been given to the other Hungarian cardinal.
On the morning of the conclave's commencement, it was suggested that Erdő may face competition from another Hungarian candidate.
However, Cardinal László Német of Belgrade, who was elevated to the rank of cardinal last year, is not considered a leading contender but may play a relevant role in the proceedings.
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