Black smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that the first day of the papal conclave ends without the election of a new Pope.
The smoke appears at 9:00 PM local time, hours after the doors of the Sistine Chapel close with the traditional declaration “Extra omnes”—Latin for “everyone out”—marking the official start of the conclave. Inside, cardinal electors begin the sacred process of choosing the 267th Pope.
According to Vatican News, the voting resumes tomorrow morning, with cardinals scheduled to reconvene around 10:30 AM Rome time for the next round of ballots.
Despite the uncertainty, around 45,000 faithful gather in St. Peter’s Square in anticipation of a possible announcement. Many arrive well before the expected hour of 7 PM and remain until the black smoke confirms that no decision has been made.
Among those in the crowd is Deacon Nicholas Nkoronko from Tanzania. Speaking to Vatican News, he says:
“Our role here is to pray and to join with other Christians, other Catholics, to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide the whole process.”
Deacon Nkoronko also shares his hopes for the Church’s next leader:
“Wherever the new Pope comes from—whether it’s Africa, Asia, America—what we need is a holy Pope. We need a Pope who will guide the Church and be the pastor of the Church.”
