Black smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at 9 pm Rome time on May 7th signaled that the first vote of the conclave had not selected the successor of Pope Francis.
Inside, all 133 cardinal electors burned their ballots after none of the names received the 2/3rds threshold of at least 89 votes.
The day begun with Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica before the electors swore an oath of secrecy. Only one ballot is permitted on the first day. Tomorrow, the cardinals may vote up to four times, two in the morning and two in the afternoon until white smoke signals agreement.
It was reported that nearly 30,000 pilgrims filled the square, waiting for hours as the votes were counted.
Recent conclaves have concluded quickly. Pope Benedict XVI was chosen on the 4th ballot in 2005 and Pope Francis on the 5th in 2013.
The electors will return to the Casa Santa Marta for the night, and reconvene in the Sistine Chapel on Thursday morning for the next round of voting.
21:01 #fumata nera#conclave #VaticanNewsIT pic.twitter.com/ptEvWxnDSd
— Vatican News (@vaticannews_it) May 7, 2025
Photo credit: MartiBstock / Shutterstock.com
