Vatican City – A dense plume of black smoke curled into the evening sky above St Peter’s Square on Wednesday, signaling that the first vote of the papal conclave had failed to produce a new pope. The lack of a two-thirds majority means the 2025 conclave will stretch into a second day.
Anticipation runs high among Catholics around the world as the 133 cardinal-electors prepare for another day of deliberations within the walls of the Sistine Chapel. After spending the night at the Santa Marta residence, the cardinals gathered early Thursday for a private Mass before resuming their voting — a process guided by tradition, secrecy, and prayer.
The day’s first ballot will be followed by additional votes if no clear decision emerges. Up to four ballots can be held in a single day, with voting continuing until a new pope — the 267th in the Church’s history — is elected.
Communication from within the conclave remains strictly limited. The only public indication of progress is the smoke that rises from the chapel’s chimney: black for inconclusive votes, white for a successful election. The signal on Wednesday, watched by thousands gathered in the square below, drew audible groans as the black smoke confirmed no result.
Still, the mood among the faithful remained hopeful.
“I’m not disappointed by the black smoke,” said James Kleineck, 37, who traveled from Texas. “It means the Holy Spirit is guiding the cardinals. We’ll have our pope soon.”
Barbara Mason, 50, visiting from Canada, echoed that sentiment. “They’re clearly taking their time to make the right choice. I hope the new pope builds on Francis’s legacy,” she said, adding that Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, known for his progressive views and diplomatic skills, would be a promising candidate.
The 2025 conclave is the most diverse in the Church’s history, with cardinals from around 70 nations. While no clear front-runner has emerged, names in circulation include Italian Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, and Sri Lanka’s Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith.
The new pope will inherit a Church facing numerous challenges: declining congregations in the West, lingering fallout from clergy abuse scandals, internal divisions over doctrine, and rising global political tensions. The next pontiff will need to unite a fractured institution while navigating an increasingly complex world.
Wednesday’s proceedings began with a solemn procession from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s masterpieces loom overhead. The event was streamed live to crowds in St Peter’s Square, providing a rare glimpse into the beginning of the sacred and secretive process.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, offered a final prayer during morning Mass: “We ask the Holy Spirit to grant us the wisdom to elect a pope who will lead both the Church and humanity through this challenging time.” Re, now over 80, is no longer eligible to vote but remains a senior voice in the Vatican.
As the world watches and waits, the Church prepares for the moment when white smoke will signal a new spiritual leader, who will step onto the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to deliver his first blessing to 1.4 billion Catholics around the globe.
