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USA Today
08-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
When does the 2025 conclave resume? Smoke times, full schedule for May 8
When does the 2025 conclave resume? Smoke times, full schedule for May 8 Show Caption Hide Caption Black smoke rises from Sistine Chapel indicating no pope elected Black smoke was seen rising from a chimney on the Sistine Chapel indicating no pope has been elected after the first day of the conclave. The first day of the conclave to select the new pope has ended without a successor being named. Black smoke billowed out of the Sistine Chapel at 3 p.m. ET (9 p.m. local time in the Vatican) on May 7, indicating that a two-thirds majority had not been reached to select the replacement for Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at the age of 88. The first day of the conclave ending without a new appointment isn't uncommon. There is no deadline for the voting and while Pope Francis was selected in just one day, the longest election (that of Pope Gregory X in 1271) took just shy of three years. Around 45,000 people were gathered in St Peter's Square to await the announcement on Wednesday, reported Vatican News. We don't know much of what goes on inside the chapel's walls, as voting cardinals are sequestered from the outside world and sworn to a vow of secrecy under the penalty of excommunication. Even the staff within the building, such as medical personnel, liturgical assistants and domestic workers, must take the oath. We do know voting will now continue into May 8, and for as many days after as it takes. Here's what to expect in the coming days as the papal conclave continues. Conclave live updates: No pope named as black smoke rises on historic conclave's first day When did the conclave begin? Of the 135 cardinals eligible to vote in this conclave, 133 were in attendance when it began on May 7. The day began with a 10 a.m. Vatican time (4 a.m. ET) Mass 'Pro Eligendo Romano Pontefice' (Holy Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff) in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Around 3:45 p.m. Vatican Time (9:45 a.m. ET), the cardinal electors assembled in Pauline Chapel in the Apostolic Palace to pray the Litany of the Saints and then proceed to the Sistine Chapel, confirmed Vatican News. After reciting the oath of secrecy, "extra omnes" (everyone out) was proclaimed and the electors were left to their work. What happens next? See May 8 schedule The first ballots were cast on the evening (Vatican time) of Wednesday, May 7. The black smoke billowing over the Vatican that night indicated that no pope was chosen, meaning voting will continue. Voting will happen four times daily in the coming days, twice in the morning and twice in the evening, according to the Vatican's news agency. Each day, the smoke will indicate to those watching outside where the cardinals are in the process. When white smoke finally appears, we will know a new leader of the Catholic church has been chosen. The schedule for Day 2 (May 8) and the following days looks something like this, according to Vatican News: 1:45 a.m. ET (7:45 a.m. Vatican time): The cardinals head to the Apostolic Palace (the pope's official residence) from Santa Marta (where the cardinals stay during the conclave). The cardinals head to the Apostolic Palace (the pope's official residence) from Santa Marta (where the cardinals stay during the conclave). 2:15 a.m. ET (8:15 a.m. Vatican time): The day begins with Mass in the Pauline Chapel. The day begins with Mass in the Pauline Chapel. 3:15 a.m. ET (9:15 a.m. Vatican time): Midmorning prayer in the Sistine Chapel. Midmorning prayer in the Sistine Chapel. 4:30 a.m. ET- 6:30 a.m. ET (10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Vatican time): Two votes are allowed in the morning. The expected time for smoke if a pope were to be elected would be around 10:30 a.m. local time and again after noon, according to Vatican News. Two votes are allowed in the morning. The expected time for smoke if a pope were to be elected would be around 10:30 a.m. local time and again after noon, according to Vatican News. 6:30 a.m. ET (12:30 p.m. Vatican time): Cardinals return to Santa Marta for lunch. Cardinals return to Santa Marta for lunch. 9:45 a.m. ET (3:45 p.m. Vatican time): The cardinals return to the Apostolic Palace. The cardinals return to the Apostolic Palace. 10:30 a.m. ET (4:30 p.m. Vatican time): Voting resumes in the Sistine Chapel Voting resumes in the Sistine Chapel 11:30 a.m. ET to 1:00 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Vatican time) : If white smoke appears, it is expected after 5:30 p.m. local time. Otherwise, we can expect the day to wrap up with white or black smoke around 7:00 p.m. local time. : If white smoke appears, it is expected after 5:30 p.m. local time. Otherwise, we can expect the day to wrap up with white or black smoke around 7:00 p.m. local time. 1:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. Vatican time): Voting is concluded and the electors return to Santa Marta. Watch live coverage of the conclave USA TODAY will stream coverage of the conclave on its YouTube channel, available here or at the embed above. The livestream is scheduled to begin at 3 a.m. ET on Thursday, May 8.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Black smoke over Sistine Chapel indicates no new pope
The conclave to elect the next pope will resume on Thursday after black smoke billowed from a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday evening, indicating that no clear winner had emerged. The inconclusive result was expected, given that for the past few centuries, no pope has been chosen after the first round of voting. Thousands of Catholic faithful, people on holiday in Rome and the simply curious packed into St Peter's Square, their gaze fixed on the slender chimney as black smoke poured out. The 133 cardinals sequestered inside cast their first vote at the end of a day laden with pomp, ceremony and ancient rites, which came two weeks after the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88. Wearing blood red cassocks and white mitres, the cardinals earlier attended a special Mass inside St Peter's Basilica. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals, told the assembled 'princes of the church' that the next pope must be someone up to the challenge of confronting global uncertainty and 'this difficult and complex turning point in history'. He told his peers that they must set aside 'every personal consideration' in choosing the new pontiff and keep in mind 'only ... the good of the Church and of humanity'. A prayer for guidance Later, the cardinals gathered in the Pauline Chapel inside the Vatican for prayer and reflection, beseeching the Holy Spirit to guide them as they set about choosing a successor to the Argentinian pontiff, who died on Easter Monday. Outside the chapel stood a phalanx of Swiss Guards, resplendent in their yellow and blue striped uniforms and red-plumed helmets. The cardinals, who come from five continents and more than 70 countries, then processed solemnly out of the Pauline Chapel, chanting the meditative 'Litany of the Saints'. The hymn implores the saints to help them choose a new leader for the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church. Pacing slowly across marble-inlaid floors, past splendid frescoes, they entered the Sistine Chapel, where the walls and ceilings are covered in frescoes by Renaissance masters including Michelangelo, Botticelli and Pinturicchio. They walked slowly up to the altar, over which looms Michelangelo's imposing Last Judgment, a huge fresco showing some souls ascending to Heaven – and others plunging down into Hell. After bowing to the altar, they took their places at tables that had been laid out on either side of the chapel. They wore heavy crucifixes around their necks. One of them will, within just a few days, become the next pope – he just does not know it yet. Vatican 'PM' among candidates The procession was led by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who as secretary of state under Pope Francis was the de facto prime minister of the Vatican City State. He led the cardinals in chanting the Latin invocation of the Holy Spirit: 'Veni, Creator Spiritus'. Cardinal Parolin is considered one of the leading 'papabile' – an Italian word that translates as 'pope-able', meaning a cardinal with a strong chance of being elected pontiff. Among the other favourites are Luis Antonio Tagle, a cardinal from the Philippines who would become the first Asian pope if elected; Pierbattista Pizzaballa, an Italian who is the Patriarch of Jerusalem; and the Hungarian cardinal Peter Erdo, a favourite of conservatives. Other contenders include Jean-Marc Aveline from Marseilles, who would become the first French pope since the 14th century, and Robert Prevost from Chicago, who would be the first pope from the US. The conclave is being cast broadly as a battle between progressive cardinals keen to perpetuate the achievements of Francis's 12-year papacy, and conservatives anxious to roll back many of his initiatives. Gregorio Rosa Chavez, a cardinal from El Salvador, does not think that his brother cardinals will retreat from Pope Francis's vision for the Church. 'There will not be a step backwards,' he told Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper. 'It is not possible. Whoever is chosen, I think it will be a pope who continues the work begun by Francis.' Francis appointed 108 of the 133 cardinals, suggesting that the progressives may predominate, but nothing is assured in a Vatican conclave. Francis himself was an outsider during the last conclave and his election was a surprise to many. Nobody knows how many days it will take the cardinals to elect the 267th pope. Francis and his predecessor, Benedict XVI, were both elected in two days, but the longest conclave in history, in the 13th century, dragged on for nearly three years. The fact that there are so many cardinals, and that many of them have never met each other, could suggest a long conclave. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, thinks it could take up to four days. 'People say, 'Oh, do you have a problem choosing a candidate?'' he told a US radio network. 'I'm saying, 'Yeah, not because there's not enough of them, but because there's quite a few of them.' 'And so when I go through the guys that impressed me, the guys I've got to know, the guys about whom I've consulted…there'd be a half dozen or so guys that I could say, 'He would not be bad.'' Cardinals shut off from world Before the conclave began, the cardinals swore an oath of secrecy. Then came the moment of truth: Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the Vatican's master of liturgical ceremonies, pronounced the Latin words 'extra omnes' – 'everybody out'. Dozens of white-robed priests, ushers, officials and members of the Vatican choir filed out of the chapel in silence. With a metallic clank, the ancient wooden doors to the 15th century chapel were pulled shut. Two Swiss Guards stood to attention outside, their long halberds at the ready. The cardinals were cloistered inside, shut off from the outside world – they are forbidden to have mobile phones or any other forms of communication and the chapel has been swept for listening devices. Concealed from the world, the cardinals filled out ballots marked 'Eligo in Summum Pontificem…' (I elect as Supreme Pontiff…). They placed them on a silver plate, from where they were tipped into an urn which rested on a table in front of The Last Judgment. Three cardinals known as scrutineers announced each vote to the assembled conclave after each round. Just one vote was held on Wednesday, but from Thursday onwards there will be four votes a day. 08:13 PM BST That's all for today Thank you for following The Telegraph's live coverage of the first day of the conclave. The 133 cardinals will continue to vote for a new pontiff on Thursday, when they will hold four separate ballots. 08:10 PM BST Black smoke indicates no new pope Black smoke has emerged from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, indicating that a new pope has not been elected. Black smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel People gather in St Peter's Square on the first day of the conclave - Guglielmo Mangiapane 07:56 PM BST Feverish speculation about delay There is feverish speculation as to why it is taking so long for smoke to emerge from the chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel. One theory is that a 90-year-old cardinal who gave a 'meditation' to the cardinals after the doors of the chapel were closed may have delivered a particularly long address. The meditation was to be given by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa. Once delivered, he was to leave the chapel and let the voting begin. 07:34 PM BST Still no sign of black smoke... There is still no sign of black smoke coming from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. Tens of thousands have gathered to watch the chimney in St Peter's Square. 07:04 PM BST About 30,000 people gather to watch chimney There are now around 30,000 people in and around St Peter's Square, according to the authorities. The size of the crowd is increasing by the minute, according to Ansa, Italy's national news agency. People are straining to see the chimney from which the smoke will come – it is slim and a long way away, perched high on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. A seagull has become the unlikely star of the live video feed of the chimney. 06:36 PM BST All eyes on the chimney in St Peter's Square There is a sense of acute anticipation in St Peter's Square as thousands of people keep their eyes fixed on the chimney installed on top of the Sistine Chapel. No smoke has yet emerged. The piazza is packed, as is the broad avenue behind it which leads towards the Tiber River. People have got their mobile phones out, taking videos and photos of the slim chimney. At one point it was almost impossible to see because the sun was directly behind it. 05:30 PM BST Listen to our latest podcast 05:22 PM BST Pictured: Papal master of ceremonies closes chapel doors The doors are closed after 'Everyone out' is called 05:16 PM BST Thousands gather to watch the ceremony on screen Thousands of people have gathered outside in St Peter's Square to watch the proceedings, which were streamed live on several large screens. There was applause for the declaration of 'Extra omnes' or 'Everyone out'. Many hope to see the smoke that will come out of the Sistine Chapel's chimney when the cardinals have voted. 'It would be perfect, lovely to be here for a new pope,' said Irish tourist Catriona Hawe, 60. 'Francis was brilliant, progressive, a man of the people, though he didn't move things forward as quickly as I would have liked,' she said. 'The Church won't be doing itself any favours if it elects someone conservative.' Besides outward displays of faith, the conclave has also generated a festive atmosphere, with one young woman in the square showing off her black miniature poodle dressed as the pope. A giant screen in St Peter's Basilica shows cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel - AP 04:53 PM BST 'A woman's place is in the conclave' A group of women lit pink smoke flares on a hill behind the Vatican on Wednesday in protest against the male-dominated Catholic church just hours before 133 men gathered in the Sistine Chapel to choose the next pope. 'While the world may be waiting for white or black smoke, our pink smoke is a signal that women should be included in every aspect of the life of the Church,' said Kate McElwee, the executive director of Women's Ordination Conference, adding, 'A woman's place is in the conclave.' The women said they have been arrested in the past when they have brought their protests closer to St Peter's Square so they were holding their pink smoke event on the Ganicolo Hill behind the Vatican with the cupola on St Peter's Basilica visible in the distance. 04:49 PM BST Cardinals took oath of secrecy before conclave Cardinals took an oath of secrecy in the Sistine Chapel before being locked into the conclave to vote for the next pope. After reciting together the oath in Latin, each of the 133 'Princes of the Church' advanced to the altar to take his personal vow, his hand on the Bible. The cardinals pledged to maintain secrecy about what's about to transpire and to not allow any interference from outsiders to influence their voting. When the rituals came to an end, the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, then called out 'Extra omnes,' Latin for 'all out.' Anyone not eligible to vote then leaves and the chapel doors close, allowing the work to begin. 04:47 PM BST Vatican official orders non-cardinals to leave Sistine Chapel A Vatican official has said 'extra omnes,' the Latin phrase to tell non-cardinals to leave the Sistine Chapel so voting can start. 04:39 PM BST Frontrunners to become the next Pope 04:36 PM BST 'Charming accents' mark diversity of cardinals The cardinals are continuing to take their oaths, which reporters in the Sistine Chapel have described as 'charming' owing to the diversity in accents. The current conclave to elect a new pope is notably diverse, with cardinals from as far afield as Mongolia and Tonga. Almost every member of the College of Cardinals can understand Italian, and most can speak the language as well. The official proceedings of a papal conclave are conducted in Latin and are translated into Italian. 03:45 PM BST Cardinals chant 'Litany of the Saints' as they file into chapel Catholic cardinals have filed into the Sistine Chapel for the start of the conclave to elect Francis's successor. As they processed into the chapel adorned with Michelangelo's 'The Last Judgement,' the 133 cardinals chanted the meditative 'Litany of the Saints.' The hymn implores the saints to help the cardinals find a new leader of the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church. A line of Swiss Guards stood at attention as the cardinals took their turn to bow at the altar. The doors will soon be closed The cardinals arrve at the chapel 03:16 PM BST Cardinal Timothy, of New York, shares a thought before the first vote 03:11 PM BST Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin prays at Holy Mass Cardinal Pietro Parolin - Anadolu 03:09 PM BST Prayers for 'a young pope' Lisette Herrera, a 54-year-old tourist from the Dominican Republic, was deeply moved to find herself by chance in the heart of Roman Catholicism as the church plans to select a new pope. On Wednesday morning, she decided to skip seeing the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain and other sites to pray in St Peter's Square, even though she realises there is no telling how long the conclave could take. 'I'm praying the Holy Spirit for a young pope who would stay with us for a long time,' she said. 'I don't believe in conclave politics, I just feel that the Holy Spirit is here and that's all we need to know.' 02:41 PM BST Pictured: Cardinals gather for the final mass St Peter's Basilica - AFP 02:26 PM BST Salvadorian cardinal says new pontiff will 'continue the work of Francis' Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez, from Salvador, said he did not think the cardinals would retreat from Francis' vision for the Church. 'There will not be a step backwards,' Rosa Chavez, 82, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. 'It is not possible. Whoever is chosen, I think it will be a pope who continues the work begun by Francis,' he said. 01:47 PM BST Pictured: Nuns take part in celebrations near the Vatican Nuns from Spain gather near the Vatican - Francisco Seco/AP Nuns buy ice creams in Rome - Hannah McKay/REUTERS 01:38 PM BST 'Diversity' should be central to next Pope's ethos, says senior cardinal A senior cardinal has urged the cardinals who will vote in the conclave to elect a pope who prizes unity in diversity, and puts personal interests aside. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, outlined the marching orders for the 133 men who will enter the Sistine Chapel. In his sermon at the final pre-conclave Mass at St Peter's Basilica, Re reminded the cardinals that a conclave represented the highest human and church responsibility, and that they must set aside 'every personal consideration.' He said the new pope should foster communion and unity within the church. The new pope will face diplomatic balancing acts, as well as Church infighting, the continued fall-out from the clerical child abuse scandal, and increasingly empty pews. Battista Re urged the cardinals to pray for 'a pope who knows how best to awaken the consciences of all... in today's society, characterised by great technological progress but which tends to forget God'. 01:30 PM BST Three British cardinals to vote Three cardinals from Britain are taking part in the conclave this year. Cardinals Vincent Nichols, Timothy Radcliffe and Rome-based Arthur Roche are among the 133 electors involved in selecting the next pontiff. Cardinal Nichols, the leader of England and Wales' Catholics and Archbishop of Westminster, had called on people to pray for the cardinals as they embark on the conclave, adding that he feels 'quite intimidated' knowing the world is watching to see who they choose. He said numerous lengthy pre-conclave meetings had allowed cardinals to get 'to know each other and to appreciate the variety of gifts, insights and dedication among us'. He added that cardinals are entering the meeting 'in a profound spirit of prayer and attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit who will, I am sure, guide our decisions'. The 79-year-old cardinal, from Liverpool, added: 'I do hope that Catholics and indeed all people will say a prayer asking for God's blessing at this important moment.' He has previously effectively ruled himself out of the running to be the next pontiff, describing himself as 'too old, not capable'. Cardinal Radcliffe, 79, of the Oxford community, was made a cardinal by Pope Francis last December. 01:17 PM BST Key timings to look out for this afternoon 2.45pm – Cardinals will begin to leave their rooms for a procession to the Sistine Chapel 3.10pm – Cardinals will gather to pray before heading to the chapel singing Veni Creator Spiritus (Come, Holy Spirit) 4.45pm – Oath of secrecy to be taken by the cardinals inside the chapel 6pm – Smoke expected after the first round of voting 01:00 PM BST Thousands of police officers secure the Vatican The Vatican's Swiss Guards and Italian Carabinieri have been mobilised as Rome moves to protect the cardinals and people who have amassed to watch the election in St Peter's Square. As of this morning, police were carrying out enhanced checks on people entering the area. More than 4,000 officers have been deployed, with an anti-drone system and signal jammers to block communication between the cardinals and the outside world once they enter into their secret assembly. 'The safety of the cardinals is a priority, but so is that of the faithful outside,' said Fabio Ciciliano, the head of Italy's Civil Protection agency. 12:34 PM BST Pictured: Inside St Peter's Basilica The Holy Mass at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican - LESSANDRO DI MEO/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK The special Mass 'Pro eligendo papa' or 'for the election of the Pope' - VATICAN MEDIA Cardinals file into St Peter's church - VATICAN MEDIA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 12:24 PM BST Controversy over missing cardinal As cardinals prepare to enter the Sistine Chapel for the conclave later today, there is controversy over one who is missing. John Njue, a cardinal from Kenya, is not in Rome and claims he was not invited to the conclave. At 79, he is eligible to vote in the election, which will decide who is the next pope. But he will not be among the 133 cardinals who enter the Sistine Chapel this afternoon. He claims he did not receive an official summons to Rome. 'The fact is that I have not been invited,' he told the Kenyan press. But the Holy See disputes that, insisting that they were told that the cardinal was too ill to travel from Kenya to Rome. Matteo Bruni, the Vatican spokesman, said: 'Cardinal electors can participate 'de iure' (by law). They don't need an invitation to be present.' The Catholic Church in Kenya also said the cardinal was ill. In a statement, Philip Anyolo, the archbishop of Nairobi, said that 'owing to his current health condition, His Eminence John Cardinal Njue will be unable to travel to Rome and take part in the conclave.' 12:13 PM BST Scheming cardinals plot to block another progressive pope St Peter's Square on the eve of a papal conclave is so busy, I almost trod on a nun. The little grey mouse squealed and ran away. Thousands of Catholics are in town for the election of Francis's successor – willing, praying for the cardinals to make the 'correct' choice. Read the full analysis here 11:58 AM BST How the voting works The 133 cardinals who enter the Sistine Chapel this afternoon will hold just one vote as they decide who should be elected the successor to Pope Francis. It is highly unlikely that they will come to a consensus with the first vote, so black smoke (signifying nobody has been elected) is expected to billow from the chimney that has been installed on the roof of the chapel. The smoke is likely to emerge sometime after 7pm local time (6pm in the UK), according to Matteo Bruni, the Vatican spokesman. After today, there will be four votes a day until a pope is elected. Nobody knows how long the process will from the Holy Spirit, perhaps. White smoke will signal that the new pope has been chosen. 11:54 AM BST A visual guide to the election The process to choose the new pontiff is laden with rituals and traditions. Each day, dressed in striking scarlet robes, cardinals will make their way from their lodgings in Casa Santa Marta to the chapel, where votes are cast beneath the frescoes. Here's our visual guide of how the cardinals will spend the next few days in the conclave. Map data: Google 11:46 AM BST Pictured: St Peter's Square as the Holy Mass is celebrated St Peter's Square in The Vatican - STEFANO RELLANDINI/AFP Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re leads the Holy Mass this morning - Murad Sezer/REUTERS A man prays in St Peter's Square - Eloisa Lopez/REUTERS 11:39 AM BST Pictured: Sistine Chapel ready to host the papal conclave The Sistine Chapel - X 11:34 AM BST What is a conclave? The conclave is the arcane process of choosing the next pope. Cardinals from around the world will gather beneath the frescoed ceilings of the Sistine Chapel in the heart of the Vatican, where they will vote for Pope Francis's successor by secret ballot. The chapel will have been swept for bugs and other recording devices and cardinals will be banned from using laptops or mobile phones. For the last conclave in 2013, which followed the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, an oath of secrecy was taken by members of the Swiss Guard and Vatican gendarmerie, the city state's police force, as well as the doctors and nurses who assisted elderly or infirm cardinals. A Vatican master of ceremonies will pronounce the words 'Extra omnes' (Everyone out), ordering staff and aides to leave the chapel so that only the cardinal electors remain. 11:30 AM BST What's happened today so far? Cardinals attended a morning mass at St. Peter's Basilica where the dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, led the prayers. During the service Cardinal Re, 91, called for electors to find the wisdom, counsel and understanding to choose a worthy new shepherd. The mass has now concluded and electors have returned to their residences to rest for a few hours ahead of the conclave. Later in the afternoon, the Vatican has said that all communications around the Holy See will be jammed as they prepare to withdraw from the outside world for their secret and sacred task ahead. The cardinals are likely to cast their first vote later in the day. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
News18
07-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
New Pope Not Yet Elected As Thick Black Smoke Pours Out At Sistine Chapel
Last Updated: The smoke billowed out at 9 pm Wednesday, some four hours after 133 cardinals solemnly entered the Sistine Chapel, meaning that the conclave did not elect a new pope. Black smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday, signalling that no pope had been elected as 133 cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church. The cardinals participating in the most geographically diverse conclave in the faith's 2,000-year history took just one round of voting Wednesday evening. After failing to find a winner on the first ballot, they retired for the night and will return to the Sistine Chapel on Thursday morning to try to find a successor to Pope Francis. They had opened the conclave Wednesday afternoon, participating in a rite more theatrical than even Hollywood could create, a wash of red-robed cardinals, Latin chants, incense and solemnity that underscored the seriousness of the moment. Black Smoke. No Pope — Catholic Sat (@CatholicSat) May 7, 2025 Outside in St. Peter's Square, the scene was festive, as thousands of people flocked to the piazza to watch the proceedings on giant video screens, applauding when the Sistine Chapel's doors slammed shut and the voting began. They waited for hours, watching screens that showed just a skinny chimney and occasional seagull. After the vote dragged on to dinnertime, some left in frustration, but those who stayed cheered when the smoke finally billowed out. 'My hope is that cardinals will choose a man who can be a peacemaker and could reunify the church," said Gabriel Capry, a 27-year-old from London. Francis named 108 of the 133 'princes of the church," choosing many pastors in his image from far-flung countries like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga that had never had a cardinal before. His decision to surpass the usual limit of 120 cardinal electors and include younger ones from the 'global south" — often marginalized countries with lower economic clout — has injected an unusual degree of uncertainty in a process that is always full of mystery and suspense. Many cardinals hadn't met until last week and lamented they needed more time to get to know one another, raising questions about how long it might take for one man to secure the two-thirds majority, or 89 ballots, necessary to become the 267th pope. 'Wait and see, a little patience, wait and see," said Cardinal Mario Zenari, the Vatican's ambassador to Syria. Oath And 'Extra Omnes' The cardinals had entered the Sistine Chapel in pairs, chanting the meditative 'Litany of the Saints" as Swiss Guards stood at attention. The hymn implores the saints to help the cardinals find a leader of the 1.4 billion-strong church. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis and himself a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed the leadership of the proceedings as the senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate. He stood before Michelangelo's vision of heaven and hell, 'The Last Judgment," and led the other cardinals in a lengthy oath. Each one followed, placing his hand on the Gospel and promising in Latin to maintain utmost secrecy. Earlier in the day, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, presided over a morning Mass in St. Peter's Basilica urging the voters to set aside all personal interests and find a pope who prizes unity. He prayed for a pope who could awaken the conscience of the world. He reminded the cardinals that the awesomeness of the Sistine Chapel's frescoes is meant to remind the cardinals of the weighty responsibility they bear. In his regulations for the conclave, Re recalled, St. John Paul II wrote that in the Sistine Chapel, 'everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God." After the cardinals took their oaths, the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, called out 'extra omnes," Latin for 'all out" and anyone not eligible to vote left before the chapel doors closed. An elderly cardinal remained to deliver a meditation, but after he finished, he too, had to leave since he was too old to vote. While cardinals this week said they expected a short conclave, it will likely take at least a few rounds of voting. For much of the past century, it has taken between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I — the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978 — was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013. Lobbying Before The Conclave The cardinals are supposed to resist any 'secular" influences in their choice of pope, but such lobbying abounded in Rome in the days before the conclave as various groups reminded cardinals of what ordinary Catholics want in a leader. Young Catholics penned an open letter reminding cardinals that there is no church without young people, women and the laity. Conservative Catholic media slipped cardinals copies of a glossy book containing their assessments of contenders. Survivors of clergy sexual abuse warned cardinals that they would be held accountable if they failed to find a leader who will crack down on decades of abuse and cover-up. Advocates for women's ordination sent pink smoke signals Wednesday over the Vatican to demand that women be allowed to be priests and participate in a conclave. Even the White House got involved, posting a photo of President Donald Trump dressed as a pope. Trump said it was a joke, but the gesture was denounced by former Italian Premier Romano Prodi as 'indecent" political interference in matters of faith that hark back to times when secular rulers intervened in conclaves. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said there was also plenty of lobbying going on among cardinals themselves. 'You invite each other out," Dolan said on SiriusXM's The Catholic Channel before the conclave began. 'And you're pretty blunt. Now, we're not, you know, we're not horse trading here. We're saying, 'Tell me about this guy. You're from Latin America. Go through the list of bishops. Tell me some of these fellas. Am I right to be enchanted by this guy?'" Lisette Herrera, a 54-year-old tourist from the Dominican Republic, was deeply moved to find herself by chance in Rome as the conclave began. She decided Wednesday morning to skip the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain and pray instead in St. Peter's Square. 'I'm praying to the Holy Spirit for a young pope who would stay with us for a long time," she said. 'I don't believe in conclave politics, I just feel that the Holy Spirit is here and that's all we need to know." Challenges In Selecting New Pope Many challenges await the new pope and weigh on the cardinals — above all whether to continue and consolidate Francis' progressive legacy on promoting women, LGBTQ+ acceptance, the environment and migrants, or roll it back to try to unify a church that became more polarized during his pontificate. The clergy sex abuse scandal hung over the pre-conclave talks. Since Francis chose 80% of the voters, continuity is likely, but the form it might take is uncertain and identifying front-runners has been a challenge. But some names keep appearing on lists of 'papabile," or cardinals having the qualities to be pope. In addition to Parolin, they include: top videos View all Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle, 67, a top candidate to be history's first Asian pope. He headed the Vatican's evangelization office responsible for the Catholic Church in much of the developing world. Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72, the archbishop of Budapest, is a leading candidate representing the more conservative wing of the church. (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Associated Press) Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Pope The Vatican City Location : Vatican City First Published: May 08, 2025, 00:48 IST News world New Pope Not Yet Elected As Thick Black Smoke Pours Out At Sistine Chapel | Watch
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Black smoke pours from Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating conclave hasn't elected pope in first vote
Live Events VATICAN CITY: Black smoke is pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating no pope was elected on the first ballot of the conclave to choose a new leader of the Catholic smoke billowed out at 9 p.m. Wednesday, some four hours after 133 cardinals solemnly entered the Sistine Chapel, took their oaths of secrecy and formally opened the centuries-old ritual to elect a successor to Pope Francis to lead the 1.4 billion-member no one securing the necessary two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, the cardinals will retire for the night to the Vatican residences where they are being return to the Sistine Chapel on Thursday IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows CITY (AP) - The great doors of the Sistine Chapel shut Wednesday after the cry of "extra omnes" - Latin for "all out" - as 133 cardinals began the secretive, centuries-old ritual of electing a new pope to lead the Catholic Church, opening the most geographically diverse conclave in the faith's 2,000-year red-robed cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel in pairs, chanting the meditative "Litany of the Saints" as Swiss Guards stood at attention. The hymn implores the saints to help the cardinals find a successor to Pope Francis to lead the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state under Francis and himself a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed the leadership of the proceedings as the senior cardinal under age in Latin, Parolin stood before Michelangelo 's vision of heaven and hell, "The Last Judgment," and led the cardinals in a lengthy oath. Each one followed, placing his hand on the Gospel and promising in Latin to maintain utmost dramatic ritual was more colorful than even Hollywood could create, a wash of colors, chants, incense and solemnity that underscored the seriousness of the moment. Outside in St. Peter's Square, the scene was almost festive, as hundreds of people watched the proceedings on giant video screens, applauding when the Sistine Chapel's doors shut and the Vatican feed cut after nearly three hours of waiting and as dinnertime neared, many in the crowd left, frustrated at how long the process was taking and wondering if a vote had even taken place."My hope is that cardinals will choose a man who can be a peacemaker and could reunify the church," said Gabriel Capry, a 27-year-old from London.A diverse group of cardinals Hailing from 70 countries, the cardinals have been sequestered from the outside world, their cellphones surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican jammed to prevent all communications until they find a new named 108 of the 133 "princes of the church," choosing many pastors in his image from far-flung countries like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga that had never had a cardinal decision to surpass the usual limit of 120 cardinal electors and include younger ones from the "global south" - often marginalized countries with lower economic clout - has injected an unusual degree of uncertainty in a process that is always full of mystery and cardinals hadn't met until last week and lamented they needed more time to get to know one another, raising questions about how long it might take for one man to secure the two-thirds majority, or 89 ballots, necessary to become the 267th pope."Wait and see, a little patience, wait and see," said Cardinal Mario Zenari , the Vatican's ambassador to Syria.A final Mass, then 'all out' Earlier in the day, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, presided over a morning Mass in St. Peter's Basilica urging the voters to set aside all personal interests and find a pope who prizes unity. He prayed for a pope who could awaken the conscience of the reminded the cardinals that the awesomeness of the Sistine Chapel's frescoes, and Michelangelo's in particular, is meant to remind the cardinals of the weighty responsibility they bear. In his regulations for the conclave, St. John Paul II wrote that in the Sistine Chapel, "everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God."After the cardinals took their oaths, the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, called out "extra omnes," and anyone not eligible to vote left before the chapel doors closed. An elderly cardinal remained to deliver a meditation, but after it was finished he, too, had to cardinals didn't have to take a first vote Wednesday, but they were expected to. Assuming no winner is found, the Vatican said black smoke could be expected out of the Sistine Chapel chimney after 7 p.m. As 9 p.m. came and went, there was no word on what was taking so cardinals eventually retire for the night and return Thursday morning. They can hold up to two ballots in the morning and two in the afternoon until a winner is cardinals this week said they expected a short conclave, it will likely take at least a few rounds of voting. For much of the past century, it has taken between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I - the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978 - was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in before the conclave While the cardinals are supposed to resist any "secular" influences in their choice, such lobbying abounded in Rome in the days before the conclave as various groups reminded cardinals of what ordinary Catholics want in a Catholics penned an open letter reminding cardinals that there is no church without young people, women and the laity. Conservative Catholic media slipped cardinals copies of a glossy book containing their assessments of contenders. Survivors of clergy sexual abuse warned cardinals that they would be held accountable if they failed to find a leader who will crack down on decades of abuse and for women's ordination sent pink smoke signals Wednesday over the Vatican to demand that women be allowed to be priests and participate in a the White House got involved, posting a photo of President Donald Trump dressed as a pope. Trump said it was a joke, but the gesture was denounced by former Italian Premier Romano Prodi as "indecent" political interference in matters of faith that hark back to times when secular rulers intervened in conclaves and habitually wielded religion to stay in Timothy Dolan , the archbishop of New York, said there was also plenty of lobbying going on among cardinals themselves."You invite each other out," Dolan said on SiriusXM's The Catholic Channel before the conclave began. "And you're pretty blunt. Now, we're not, you know, we're not horse trading here. We're saying, 'Tell me about this guy. You're from Latin America. Go through the list of bishops. Tell me some of these fellas. Am I right to be enchanted by this guy?'"Lisette Herrera, a 54-year-old tourist from the Dominican Republic, was deeply moved to find herself by chance in Rome as the conclave began. She decided Wednesday morning to skip the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain and pray instead in St. Peter's Square."I'm praying to the Holy Spirit for a young pope who would stay with us for a long time," she said. "I don't believe in conclave politics, I just feel that the Holy Spirit is here and that's all we need to know."Challenges facing a new pope Many challenges face the new pope and weigh on the cardinals - above all whether to continue and consolidate Francis' progressive legacy on promoting women, LGBTQ+ acceptance, the environment and migrants, or roll it back to try to unify a church that became more polarized during his pontificate. The clergy sex abuse scandal hung over the pre-conclave Francis chose 80% of the voters, continuity is likely, but the form it might take is uncertain and identifying front-runners has been a some names keep appearing on lists of "papabile," or cardinals having the qualities to be pope, in addition to Parolin.- Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle , 67, is a top candidate to be history's first Asian pope. He headed the Vatican's evangelization office responsible for the Catholic Church in much of the developing world.- Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo , 72, the archbishop of Budapest, is a leading candidate representing the more conservative wing of the church.
The Age
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
First conclave vote to elect new pope fails as black smoke emerges
Vatican City: The first vote in the papal conclave to select a successor to Pope Francis ended in failure on Wednesday evening, with black smoke emerging from the Sistine Chapel's chimney at 9pm local time. More than 30,000 people gathered in St Peter's Square to witness the time-honoured tradition which signified that no candidate had garnered the two-thirds majority needed to become the new pope. The record 133 cardinals cast their ballots over more than three hours in the first round of voting. Giant screens had shown the opening procession of the conclave as thousands of pilgrims gathered to wait at St Peter's Square, along with thousands of the world's press. By 6.30pm they had crammed in to await a result. Having grown restless by 8.30pm, they began slow clapping and cheering as the sun set over the famed basilica. They let out an audible gasp followed by cheering as the black smoke billowed out the makeshift chimney, which was installed at the weekend. Cardinals, representing 70 countries, filed into the iconic chapel earlier in the day, the doors slamming shut behind them. Inside, the air was thick with anticipation as the cardinals chanted prayers like the Litany of the Saints and the Veni Creator, seeking guidance for the monumental task ahead. Sequestered from the outside world and without access to modern technology, they have sworn an oath of secrecy to ensure the integrity of the election. They will remain inside the Vatican's walls until a new pope is chosen. Four rounds of voting will be held daily – in the morning and in the afternoon – with smoke signalling the result of each session. If no consensus is reached after three days of voting, the cardinals will take a 24-hour break for reflection, a tradition that has not been needed since 1831, when no conclave lasted more than four days. Ahead of the first vote, cardinals were urged to choose a leader 'the Church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history.'
