Latest news with #Cantalamessa
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
New Pope chosen as white smoke billows from Sistine Chapel chimney
A new pope has been elected after white smoke bellowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney - as 133 cardinals finally reached a verdict. Cardinals had returned to the Sistine Chapel on Thursday to resume voting for a new pope, after a first conclave ballot failed to find a winner and sent black smoke billowing through the chapel chimney. They had to secure the two-thirds majority, or 89 ballots, necessary to become the 267th pope. Casting and counting ballots for a new pope had have taken longer than expected on Wednesday evening because of the large number of cardinals participating and the linguistic diversity among them. The electors hail from 70 countries, and not all speak or understand Italian fluently, which could have slowed down the proceedings if help with translation was needed. While in the past Latin was the universal language of the church, nowadays not all cardinals understand Latin or even Italian, the lingua franca of the Vatican. Another unknown was the length of the meditation delivered by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa after the Sistine Chapel doors closed and the voting began. Cantalamessa is the retired preacher of the papal household. Up to four rounds of voting can take place each full day of conclave, two in the morning and two in the afternoon. Smoke is only expected up to twice a day, as ballots from two successive rounds are generally burned together if no pope is chosen in either round. The voting cardinals began their behind-closed-doors meeting shortly before 5pm UK time on Wednesday. Pope Francis was elected after five ballots, and white smoke on the second day of that conclave confirmed the news to the world in 2013. The voting ballots are burned with chemicals added in a special furnace to ensure the colour signals the correct result. For black, to indicate no-one has been elected, the ballots are mixed with cartridges containing potassium perchlorate, anthracene – which is a component of coal tar – and sulfur. For white to signal a new pontiff has been chosen, potassium chlorate, lactose and chloroform resin are added to the burning ballots. The cardinals in this conclave are gathering to elect the 267th pope and have, as is tradition, been cut off from communications with the outside world. At a pre-conclave mass on Wednesday, they were reminded of the 'choice of exceptional importance' they must make in electing the next pope. Should the cardinals fail to reach an agreement on a candidate after three days of voting, they are entitled to a one-day break for prayer and free discussion. Three UK cardinals are taking part in the conclave: Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe and Rome-based Cardinal Arthur Roche. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is Irish-born, is considered an American cardinal, having ministered mainly in the US. The pontiff – believed to be someone called to be the successor to St Peter, who was the first pope – will need to be a person who can 'awaken the consciences of all and the moral and spiritual energies in today's society, characterised by great technological progress but which tends to forget God', Cardinal Battista Re added. Pope Francis had appointed some 108 of the 133 cardinals who will choose his successor. Dubbed the people's pope, he was a popular pontiff whose death on Easter Monday sparked tributes from leaders across the world and whose funeral drew hundreds of thousands of mourners.
The Journal
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Explainer: When will we see the white smoke and a new pope?
Diarmuid Pepper in Rome CATHOLICS FROM ALL over the world waited, and waited, and waited some more last night for black smoke to emerge from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. Everyone was expecting black smoke, because in the first round of voting in the conclave, achieving the two-thirds majority needed to become the new leader of the Catholic Church is verging on impossible. The crowds had been informed by Vatican observers to expect black smoke before 8pm – black smoke was spotted for the first time in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis at 7.41pm. A priest takes the weight off his feet in St Peter's Square while awaiting the black smoke Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo But instead, it was 9pm before the black smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. So why the long wait? This is the largest conclave in history with 133 cardinal electors – cardinals aged 80 and under when a pope dies or resigns a vote. This means there are 18 extra voting cardinals this time round than in 2013 – one of whom is voting from his sickbed at the Santa Martha guesthouse. Lots were drawn yesterday to see which cardinal would have to travel between the Sistine Chapel and the guesthouse to gather this vote. But this doesn't quite explain it. When the master of papal ceremonies and Archbishop Diego Ravelli proclaimed 'Extra omnes' ('everyone out,' in Latin) from the Sistine Chapel yesterday, all non-voting cardinals left, except for Ravelli himself and 90-year-old Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa. Archbishop Diego Ravelli says, Extra omnes, (everyone out). After everyone has left, the door closes and the conclave begins Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Before the voting begins, and with everyone else locked out, someone gives a special meditation to the voting cardinals on the seriousness of their duties. When the meditation is concluded, both of these men depart the Sistine Chapel. Last week, the cardinals chose Cantalamessa for this task, but he is not known for brevity. Indeed, there are reports that what was supposed to be a 15-minute pep talk turned into a 50-minute sermon. These reports caused some concern because cardinals are meant to take an oath of secrecy, with the penalty being excommunication from the Church. And besides, v oting cardinals have had their phones confiscated. However, Vatican insider and Pope Francis's biographer Austen Ivereigh, who reported the long sermon, noted that Cantalamessa is not an elector and isn't in the conclave. For those getting very excited about breaking oaths and so on: Cantalamessa was not an elector. He wasn't in the conclave. He gave his ferverino and left. The porters outside, similarly not bound by any oaths, because also not in conclave, noted the time he came out. — Austen Ivereigh (@austeni) May 8, 2025 'The porters outside, similarly not bound by any oaths, because also not in conclave, noted the time he came out.' So what will happen today? This morning is when the conclave starts proper after cardinals have had an opportunity to sleep on their decision after having seen how others voted. Advertisement Cardinals vote two times in the morning, break for lunch, then have two further rounds of voting in the afternoon. If there is no pope elected in the first round of voting this morning, cardinals immediately proceed with another vote and it is after this second ballot that the crowd will see black or white smoke. The same goes for the afternoon voting – if there is a two-thirds consensus after the first round of balloting in the afternoon, we will see white smoke – otherwise, we won't have an indication as to how voting went until after the second round. Group of faithful arrive at St. Peter's Square on the second day of the conclave Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Pope Francis noted in his memoir, Hope, that during the conclave, the first round of voting often involves 'a vote for a friend, for a person of respect…' However, some front-runners and strong candidates will have emerged and cardinals have had the entire night to reflect on their vote and the thoughts of others. This morning, cardinals begin to put their cards on the table and they have two ballots, before a break for lunch. In the first round of voting this morning, the field will start to take shape and then from the third round of balloting onwards, the viable candidates become more clear. Francis remarked that in the 2013 conclave, the 'situation' within the first two morning ballots was 'clearly fluid, uncertain, and for this reason there was nothing that particularly surprised me'. So when will a pope be elected? Probably not this morning. The last time a pope was elected on the third ballot was in 1939 with Pope Pius XII. In 2005, the conclave to elect Pope Benedict XVI took four ballots (the first ballot on the first afternoon of voting). For Francis, it was the fifth ballot (the second ballot on the first afternoon of voting). In 2013, the white smoke to signal the election of Francis was seen at 7.06pm. However, it wasn't until around 8.15pm that Francis appeared to the crowds in St Peter's and the waiting crowd got to greet their new pope. he newly elected Pope Francis being presented to the crowd at St Peter's in 2013 Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo This hour-long wait is because the cardinals congratulate the new pope and pass on words of advice. One cardinal embraced Francis to say: 'Don't forget the poor'. The new pope also goes to the sacristy in the Sistine Chapel to be fitted with papal attire for their first appearance from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica. It's called the 'room of tears', because tears are often shed here when the new pope begins to feel the weight of the responsibility that has been placed upon them. For example, Benedict XVI said his head began to spin when he realised he would become pope and that it felt like a 'guillotine' was falling on him. So around an hour after we see the famous white and hear the ringing of the bells of St Peter's, we will hear 'habemus papam' and see the new pope for the first time when he appears on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
