Papal Conclave Update: Black Smoke Signals No Decision On New Pope 10 Key Points

2025-05-08 12:00:49

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Vatican city : Crowds on Wednesday evening in Vatican city flocked in St Peter's Square for the first vote of Papal conclave. The results of which took over three hours to declare. Black smoke poured out from the Sistine Chapel's chimney, indicating that the cardinals have not been able to pick a new pontiff. White smoke refers to the cardinals agreeing on a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month.

Cardinals fail to elect new pontiff: What we know so far

Many in thousands had gathered to wait for the result of the first vote, which lasted nearly three hours.

2. Cardinals' cellphones were surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican jammed to avoid all communications until new Pontiff is chosen.

3. A plume of black smoke was seen from the Sistine Chapel, meaning the 133 cardinals have still to the two thirds majority required to appoint the next pontiff.

4. Twice a day, the ballots will be burned as a traditional symbol for the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, according to Bloomberg.

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5. The cardinals will stay behind closed doors until a clear decision is made on the election of the 267th pope, who will be entrusted with leading the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, AFP reported.

6. Bound by centuries-old tradition, they are under strict vows of secrecy, with excommunication as the penalty for any breach.

7. As the vote extended into dinnertime, some left annoyed, but those who remained erupted in cheers when the smoke finally emerged.

8.“My hope is that cardinals will choose a man who can be a peacemaker and could reunify the church,” AP quoted Gabriel Capry, a 27-year-old from London as saying.

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9. Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle, 67, Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72 are some names kept showing on lists of“papabile,” or cardinals for the qualities to be pope, according to AP. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State under Pope Francis and a prominent candidate to succeed him as pope, took charge of the proceedings as the highest-ranking cardinal under the age of 80 and eligible to take part in the conclave, PTI reported.

10. The biggest and most geographically diverse conclave in history was due to resume on Thursday, a Reuters report said.

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