VATICAN CITY
The highly anticipated Papal Conclave has officially begun as 133 Catholic cardinals gather inside the Sistine Chapel to elect the successor to Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21st, this year.
The cardinals, representing 70 countries, attended a mass at St. Peter’s Basilica earlier today before proceeding to the Pauline Chapel and then the Sistine Chapel, where they took their oaths of secrecy.
The voting process is now underway, with ballots being cast in successive rounds until a candidate secures two-thirds of the available vote
If no clear choice emerges after three days, voting will be paused for 24 hours to allow time for reflection. Since 1831,no conclave has lasted more than four days.
The world now waits for the smoke signals from the stovepipe chimney atop the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke “fumata nera” will indicate an inconclusive vote, while white smoke (“fumata bianca”) will signify that a new pope has been elected, accompanied by the ringing of the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica
More updates as the conclave progresses.
