After a lengthy wait, black smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney in the Vatican this evening, meaning that the cardinals have not been able to choose a new pontiff.
White smoke billowing out indicates that a new Pope has been elected.
Crowds were gathered in their tens of thousands in St Peter’s Square for the first vote of conclave – the results of which took more than three hours to announce.
Because of the secrecy of the process, experts have pointed out that it might never be known what caused the delay, until after the conclave concludes.
But the lack of a new pope means that cardinals will return tomorrow (Thursday, May 8) to a closed-door Sistine Chapel for more rounds of voting.
St Peter’s Square, according to the Vatican, emptied out in minutes after black smoke billowed from the chimney, with many flocking straight to the restaurants in the surrounding streets for a late dinner after a long wait.
The cardinal electors will also be heading back to Casa Santa Marta to eat and debrief on the first afternoon of the conclave – and to prepare to vote again in the morning, and again until two-thirds of them reach a consensus on who should be the next leader of the Catholic Church.
