Conclave Live Updates: Black smoke emerges after morning votes in Sistine Chapel

Reuters

08-05-2025

Recap: Who is tipped to be the new pope?
20 minutes ago
10:01 EDT
Philip Pullella and Alvise Armellini
While we wait, here is a reminder of some of the names being talked about as possible successors to Pope Francis.
CARDINAL JEAN-MARC AVELINE
Aveline, 66, the archbishop of Marseille, is known for his easy-going nature, readiness to crack jokes and ideological proximity to Francis, especially on immigration and relations with the Muslim world.
Aveline would become the first French pope since the 14th century and the youngest pope since John Paul II.
CARDINAL CHARLES MAUNG BO
Charles Maung Bo, 76, broke new ground in 2015 when Francis appointed him as the first Catholic cardinal from Buddhist-majority Myanmar.
However, Bo is a somewhat divisive figure at home - even within the country's Catholic minority - because of his dealings with its military leadership, in charge since 2021.
CARDINAL PETER ERDO
Erdo, 72, from Hungary, would be seen as a compromise candidate - someone from the conservative camp who has built bridges with Francis' progressive world.
He was considered a contender in the 2013 conclave thanks to extensive contacts in Europe and Africa.
CARDINAL MARIO GRECH
Grech, 68, comes from Gozo, a tiny island that is part of Malta. Initially viewed as a conservative, Grech has become a torchbearer for Francis' reforms, becoming more open to issues such as LGBT rights and Holy Communion for divorcees.
CARDINAL CRISTOBAL LOPEZ ROMERO
The Spanish-born archbishop of Rabat, Morocco, 72, known for his missionary work and strong advocacy for migrants, has made it clear that he does not want to be pope.
He is seen to embody Francis' focus on the "peripheries" and interreligious dialogue, particularly with Islam.
CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN
A 70-year-old Italian, Parolin is seen as a compromise candidate between progressives and conservatives. He has been a Church diplomat for most of his life and served as Francis' secretary of state since 2013.
The position is similar to that of a prime minister and is often called the "deputy pope" because they rank second to the pontiff in the Vatican hierarchy. Parolin would return the papacy to the Italians for the first time since 1978.
CARDINAL ROBERT PREVOST
Prevost, 69, an American who has spent much of his career as a missionary in Peru, is a relative unknown on the global stage.
Originally from Chicago, he has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis' 12-year papacy, especially his commitment to social justice.
CARDINAL LUIS ANTONIO TAGLE
Tagle, a Filipino, aged 67, is often called the "Asian Francis" because of his easy laugh and commitment to social justice. If elected he would be the first pontiff from Asia.
In a move seen by some as a strategy by Francis to give Tagle some Vatican experience, Pope Francis in 2019 appointed him head of the Church's missionary arm, formally known as the Dicastery for Evangelisation.
CARDINAL MATTEO MARIA ZUPPI
Zuppi, 69, is known as a "street priest" who focuses on migrants and the poor, and cares little about pomp and protocol. He goes by the name of "Father Matteo", and in Bologna often uses a bicycle rather than an official car.
If he were made pope, conservatives would likely view him with suspicion. Victims of Church sex abuse might also object to him, since the Italian Catholic Church, which he has led since 2022, has been slow to investigate and confront the issue.
Black smoke has again billowed from a chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel.
That signalled the cardinals locked in a conclave have not yet chosen a new pope to guide the Roman Catholic Church.
The cardinals held an initial inconclusive vote on Wednesday evening and two more votes on Thursday morning as thousands of faithful again gathered in St. Peter's Square.
They are scheduled to hold up to two more ballots on Thursday afternoon, with possible smoke signals expected some time after 5:30 p.m. (1530 GMT).
They will keep on voting up to four times a day until someone wins a two-thirds majority.
No pope in modern times has been elected on the first attempt, so Wednesday's black smoke was widely expected. But given recent history, a final result is possible from the second day.
Francis, the first pope from Latin America, was elected on the evening of the second day of the last conclave, held in 2013, as was his predecessor, Benedict XVI, in 2005.
Quicker votes on the second morning
4 hours ago
06:00 EDT
Joshua McElwee in Vatican City
On Wednesday evening the crowds in St. Peter's Square waited longer than expected for the smoke from the first ballot to appear, more than three hours after the start of the conclave.
We were expecting the smoke from Thursday morning's votes a little after noon and it came just before, meaning they got through two ballots pretty quickly this morning.
4 hours ago
05:52 EDT
Crispian Balmer
That signals the cardinals did not elect a new pope during their two morning ballots.
5 hours ago
05:48 EDT
Alison Williams
Reuters photographers are back in St. Peter's Square for the second day of voting.
No sign of any smoke yet.
REUTERS/Marko Djurica
REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
6 hours ago
04:01 EDT
Joshua McElwee in Vatican City
8 hours ago
02:30 EDT
Alvise Armellini
The largest and most geographically diverse conclave in history resumes on Thursday, with Roman Catholic cardinals returning to the Sistine Chapel to try to settle a wide-open papal election.
The red-hatted "princes of the Church" started the heavily ritualised process of choosing a new leader for the world's 1.4 billion Catholics on Wednesday.
In the evening, black smoke billowed from a specially-installed chimney visible from St Peter's Square to signal an inconclusive ballot.
No pope in modern times has been elected on the first attempt, so that outcome was widely expected.
But given recent history, a final result is possible from the second day, when up to four rounds of voting can take place.
The smoke signals are expected around noon (1000 GMT) and 7 p.m. (1700 GMT) each voting day.
You can watch live video of the chimney at the top of this page.
We'll bring you any developments here as we get them.
That means the first vote was inconclusive, as expected.
Thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square waiting for smoke to pour from a narrow flue on the roof of the chapel at the end of a day rich in ritual and pageantry, with prelates praying for divine guidance in their secret ballot.
The crowds had to be patient as it took longer than expected for the smoke to appear, more than three hours after the start of the conclave.
This was an hour more than it took for smoke to be seen after the first vote in the 2013 conclave that picked the late Pope Francis.
We're winding up our live coverage for now as there are no more votes on Wednesday.
Bookmark this page though as we'll be back on Thursday, when the cardinals will hold as many as four further votes.
The smoke signals are expected around noon (1000 GMT) and 7 p.m. (1700 GMT) each voting day.
20 hours ago
13:53 EDT
Alison Williams
REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
Catholic cardinals are now locked behind the heavy wood doors of the Sistine Chapel, sequestered from the world to elect a pope they hope can unite a diverse but divided global Church.
In a ritual dating back to medieval times, 133 cardinal electors walked slowly into the chapel before taking an oath of perpetual secrecy under the gaze of the stern Christ depicted in Michelangelo's Last Judgement fresco, which adorns the chapel.
Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the Vatican's master of ceremonies, then pronounced the Latin command "Extra omnes!" (Everyone out!), telling all those not involved in the conclave to leave.
The chapel's doors were slammed shut, allowing the cardinals to hold their first ballot to look for a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month.
No pope has been elected on the first day of a conclave for centuries and voting could continue for several days before one man receives the necessary two-thirds majority to become the 267th pontiff.
There will be only one ballot on Wednesday. We expect to see smoke from that after 7 p.m. (1700 GMT).
Thereafter, there can be as many as four votes a day.
Black smoke will mark an inconclusive vote; white smoke and the pealing of bells will signal that the 1.4-billion-member Church has a new leader.
You can watch live video of the chimney above, and read more here from Crispian Balmer, Joshua McElwee and Philip Pullella.
Who is tipped to be the new pope?
a day ago
12:23 EDT
Philip Pullella and Alvise Armellini
The secret election appears to be wide open but here are some of the names, in alphabetical order, being talked about as possible successors to Pope Francis.
CARDINAL JEAN-MARC AVELINE
Aveline, 66, the archbishop of Marseille, is known for his easy-going nature, readiness to crack jokes and ideological proximity to Francis, especially on immigration and relations with the Muslim world.
Aveline would become the first French pope since the 14th century and the youngest pope since John Paul II.
CARDINAL CHARLES MAUNG BO
Charles Maung Bo, 76, broke new ground in 2015 when Francis appointed him as the first Catholic cardinal from Buddhist-majority Myanmar.
However, Bo is a somewhat divisive figure at home - even within the country's Catholic minority - because of his dealings with its military leadership, in charge since 2021.
CARDINAL PETER ERDO
Erdo, 72, from Hungary, would be seen as a compromise candidate - someone from the conservative camp who has built bridges with Francis' progressive world.
He was considered a contender in the 2013 conclave thanks to extensive contacts in Europe and Africa.
CARDINAL MARIO GRECH
Grech, 68, comes from Gozo, a tiny island that is part of Malta. Initially viewed as a conservative, Grech has become a torchbearer for Francis' reforms, becoming more open to issues such as LGBT rights and Holy Communion for divorcees.
CARDINAL CRISTOBAL LOPEZ ROMERO
The Spanish-born archbishop of Rabat, Morocco, 72, known for his missionary work and strong advocacy for migrants, has made it clear that he does not want to be pope.
He is seen to embody Francis' focus on the "peripheries" and interreligious dialogue, particularly with Islam.
CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN
A 70-year-old Italian, Parolin is seen as a compromise candidate between progressives and conservatives. He has been a Church diplomat for most of his life and served as Francis' secretary of state since 2013.
The position is similar to that of a prime minister and is often called the "deputy pope" because they rank second to the pontiff in the Vatican hierarchy. Parolin would return the papacy to the Italians for the first time since 1978.
CARDINAL ROBERT PREVOST
Prevost, 69, an American who has spent much of his career as a missionary in Peru, is a relative unknown on the global stage.
Originally from Chicago, he has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis' 12-year papacy, especially his commitment to social justice.
CARDINAL LUIS ANTONIO TAGLE
Tagle, a Filipino, aged 67, is often called the "Asian Francis" because of his easy laugh and commitment to social justice. If elected he would be the first pontiff from Asia.
In a move seen by some as a strategy by Francis to give Tagle some Vatican experience, Pope Francis in 2019 appointed him head of the Church's missionary arm, formally known as the Dicastery for Evangelisation.
CARDINAL MATTEO MARIA ZUPPI
Zuppi, 69, is known as a "street priest" who focuses on migrants and the poor, and cares little about pomp and protocol. He goes by the name of "Father Matteo", and in Bologna often uses a bicycle rather than an official car.
If he were made pope, conservatives would likely view him with suspicion. Victims of Church sex abuse might also object to him, since the Italian Catholic Church, which he has led since 2022, has been slow to investigate and confront the issue.
a day ago
12:14 EDT
"Conclave" trailer courtesy of Black Bear Pictures
With extraordinary timing, one of the films at this year's Oscars was the papal drama "Conclave," about the process for choosing a new pope.
The film ended up winning best adapted screenplay just as Pope Francis was hospitalized in Rome.
British actor Ralph Fiennes plays Cardinal Lawrence who, as dean of the College of Cardinals, has to oversee proceedings in the conclave - set in the Sistine Chapel - and handle the scandals that arise.
In real life, the conclave-management will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the current dean of the College of Cardinals.
In the film, the process to pick the next head of the Catholic Church is filled with drama and twists, including a (spoiler alert) bomb that goes off near the Sistine Chapel.
It's no wonder the Vatican didn't grant access to filming inside Michelangelo's masterpiece.
In fact, there's no photography allowed at all in the Sistine Chapel, but that didn't deter filmmakers.
Incredibly, the production team built a replica in Rome's Cinecittà film studios in just 10 weeks, according to a Variety report.
'Eligo in Summum Pontificem'
a day ago
11:57 EDT
Christina Anagnostopoulos
Each cardinal will vote on a rectangular ballot with the words 'Eligo in Summum Pontificem' - meaning 'I elect as Supreme Pontiff" - written on the top half.
The bottom part is blank, for cardinals to pen in the name of their chosen candidate. It is then folded in half before they cast their vote at the altar.
Each elector says, in Italian, "Chiamo a testimone Cristo Signore, il quale mi giudicherà, che il mio voto è dato a colui che, secondo Dio, ritengo debba essere eletto" - meaning 'I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one whom I believe should be elected according to God".
The paper ballot is then placed on a plate and dropped into the chalice below it.