Black smoke billowed out the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Rome at 11:39 this morning (13 March), indicating that a new pope had not yet been elected.
The conclave, consisting of 115 cardinals, entered the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday afternoon to begin the voting process, but after the first two rounds of voting, none of the cardinals had received the two-thirds majority vote needed to be elected as the new leader of the Catholic Church.
Black smoke billowed out the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Rome at 11:39 this morning (13 March), indicating that a new pope had not yet been elected.
The conclave, consisting of 115 cardinals, entered the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday afternoon to begin the voting process, but after the first two rounds of voting, none of the cardinals had received the two-thirds majority vote needed to be elected as the new leader of the Catholic Church.
Black smoke emitted from the chimney means an outcome has not been reached, while white smoke indicates that a new Pontiff has been elected. Tens on thousands of people braved the rainy conditions at the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square to catch a glimpse of the smoking billowing out of the chimney.
Voting will continue until a new pope has been elected, with two rounds of voting in the morning, and two in the evening. A total of 77 votes are needed to make up the two-thirds majority in electing the 266th Pontiff.
In the voting process, each cardinal walks to the altar, and says out aloud: “I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected.” They then place their folded piece of paper on a plate which is then placed in a silver urn on the altar.
The only South African representative in the conclave, Cardinal Wilfred Napier, tweeted this message to his thousands of followers before entering the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday: “May Our Father hear and answer with love and mercy all prayers and sacrifices offered for fruitful outcome. God bless!"
