The first day of the papal conclave has concluded without the election of a new pope, as indicated by the black smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney at 21:00 local time. This smoke signal shows that the cardinals have not yet reached the required two-thirds majority needed to elect a new pontiff.
Voting will continue tomorrow and persist each day until a pope is chosen. When a pope is elected, the smoke from the chapel’s chimney will turn white. Historically, both Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI were elected after two days of deliberations.
Prior to the conclave, 133 cardinal electors pledged to maintain secrecy regarding the voting process. To elect a pope, a candidate must receive the votes of at least 89 cardinals. Among those voting is Cardinal Vincent Nichols, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
While today’s vote did not result in a new pope, this outcome was anticipated, as achieving consensus often takes several days. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, led a Mass calling for prayers for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, hoping the new pope will be “he whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult, complex, and troubled turning point in history”.
St Peter’s Square was filled with tens of thousands of people on the conclave’s first day. However, the cardinals, all under the age of 80, remain isolated from any external communication until the election of a new pope is finalized.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
