Papal Conclave voting is now poised to enter day two as black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney this evening.
The black smoke represents an inconclusive first round of papal conclave voting to elect the successor to Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21.
The Ascending plumes of dark smoke over the Vatican marked the start of the secretive process to choose the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church, drawing global attention as 133 cardinals, all under 80, gathered to cast their ballots.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the papal conclave voting began this afternoon after the cardinals took an oath of secrecy and sealed the Sistine Chapel doors.
The process requires a candidate to secure a two-thirds majority, 89 votes, to become the next pontiff.
Voting occurs twice daily, with ballots burned after each session. Black smoke signals no decision, while white smoke announces the election of a new pope.
The conclave’s duration varies, but recent history suggests a swift process. Since the 20th century, the average conclave has lasted three days, with the longest in 1922 taking five.
Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope, was elected in 2013 after just two days of voting, one of the shortest conclaves in modern history.
The world now waits for white smoke, which will end the papal conclave voting and announce the election of the 267th pope.
