No New Pope Yet After First Day of Vatican Conclave Black Smoke Signals
The Vatican’s highly anticipated papal conclave saw its first day come to a close Wednesday evening with the release of black smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that Catholic cardinals had not yet reached a decision on the next pope.
A total of 133 cardinals, hailing from 70 countries, gathered at the Vatican to begin the centuries-old ritual of selecting the 267th pontiff following the death of Pope Francis last month.
The black smoke indicated that no candidate had secured the required two-thirds majority, and voting will resume on Thursday morning.
The cardinals have retired for the night, and up to four ballots can be cast each day two in the morning and two in the afternoon until white smoke signals the election of a new pope.
While it was widely expected that the conclave would not produce a result on the first day, historical precedent shows that papal elections can sometimes span days or even years. The longest conclave in history, which elected Pope Gregory X, lasted nearly three years, while the shortest, which elected Pope Julius II in 1503, took just 10 hours. In recent times, however, conclaves typically conclude within two to three days.
Among the participants are three British cardinals, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, and Cardinal Arthur Roche, who is based in Rome. Ahead of the conclave, Cardinal Nichols urged the faithful to pray for the electors, admitting he felt “quite intimidated” by the global attention on the process.
Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote, and they have been urged to “invoke the help of the Holy Spirit” in choosing a pope “whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history.”
One of the most widely considered frontrunners is Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, 67, who, if elected, would become the first Asian pope. Other prominent contenders include Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, as well as Cardinals Matteo Zuppi, Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Peter Erdo, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Peter Turkson, Jean-Marc Aveline, and Anders Arborelius.
On Wednesday, advocates for women’s ordination sent pink smoke over the Vatican, demanding a greater role for women in the Church, in a clear sign of the growing calls for reform within the institution.
The cardinals face several significant challenges as they deliberate, including whether to continue Pope Francis’ progressive agenda, which focuses on LGBTQ+ acceptance, environmental protection, and migrant rights, or to shift toward a more conservative direction to unify a Church that has become increasingly polarized.
The ongoing clergy sexual abuse scandal also looms large in their deliberations.
With Pope Francis having appointed 80% of the current electors, many expect continuity, although how that continuity will be reflected in the next papacy remains uncertain.
The conclave will reconvene this morning for the next round of voting, and as always, the world will be watching closely for the first sign of white smoke.
