Cardinals' Voting in Vatican Fails to Elect New Pope; Crowds in St. Peter's Square
In the heart of Vatican City, thick, billowing smoke from the Sistine Chapel's chimney has signaled that the cardinals enclosed within couldn't seal the deal on their first vote for a new pope. Tens of thousands of spectators in St. Peter's Square eagerly awaited the smoke—a sight that appeared approximately three and a half hours post the 133 cardinals being shuttered.
These prelates hailed from approximately 70 countries, summoned to Rome following Pope Francis's demise on April 21st after a dozen years at the helm of the Catholic Church. Devoid of outside contact, their mobile phones were surrendered, while communications were jammed around the Vatican until a new pope is chosen.
Tomorrow, these cardinals will reconvene in the Sistine Chapel for another round of voting, with no pope elected yet, they will continue to vote daily until one secures a majority of 89 votes to grab the papal throne.
The start of the conclave, with a solemn procession of cardinals and other clergy into the Sistine Chapel, was broadcast live on large screens in front of St. Peter's Basilica. Huge crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square, their eyes glued to screens displaying the chimney and the occasional seagull. Despite many departing in disappointment, those who stayed erupted in cheers upon witnessing the smoke at last.
"It would've been perfect, lovely to be here for a new pope," mused Irish tourist Catriona Hawe, 60. "Francis was brilliant, progressive, a man of the people, though he didn't shift things as fast as I would've preferred." She expressed concerns about the Church electing a conservative pope.
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Our correspondent, Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reported from Vatican City, expressing that the black smoke, signifying no new pope elected, was expected. "In no living memory has there been a pope that was elected on the first day of the conclave," she said.
"Usually this first vote serves as a way for the cardinals to gauge how things are going and the direction their fellow electors are leaning, before returning to their guest quarters for the election," Abdel-Hamid explained.
Pope Francis had appointed 108 of the 133 "princes of the church," choosing many pastors from lesser-known countries like Mongolia, Sweden, and Tonga, which never had a cardinal before. His decision to exceed the usual limit of 120 cardinal electors has added an extra layer of intrigue to an already suspenseful affair.
Many cardinals hadn't met until last week, expressed their need for more time to familiarize themselves with each other, raising questions about how long it might take for one man to secure the votes necessary to ascend to the papal throne. Both Francis and his predecessor, Benedict XVI, were elected within two days, but the longest papal election lasted 1,006 days, from 1268 to 1271.
Challenges facing the Church
Although no clear frontrunner emerged to succeed Francis, the cardinals represent a wide gamut of views within the Church. Over a dozen names have been brought up, from Italy's Pierbattista Pizzaballa to Hungary's Peter Erdo and Sri Lanka's Malcolm Ranjith.
However, the new pope will face numerous challenges: falling priest numbers, the role of women, the Vatican's financial woes, adapting the Church to the modern world, the aftermath of the clergy child abuse scandal, and declining attendance in Western churches. Furthermore, the pope will be tested diplomatically at a time of global uncertainty and deep divisions within the Church.
- The black smoke signaling no new pope elected on Wednesday is a continuation of the long tradition in the Vatican, with no pope being elected on the first day of the conclave, as reported by Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid.
- The cardinals, gathered in the Sistine Chapel for their first vote, are facing a challenging road ahead as the new pope must navigate issues such as falling priest numbers, the role of women, the Vatican's financial woes, and adapting the Church to the modern world.
- Despite speculation on a potential frontrunner, the cardinals represent a diverse set of views within the Church, with names like Italy's Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Hungary's Peter Erdo, and Sri Lanka's Malcolm Ranjith among those being discussed.
- The process of electing a new pope is a complex one, with cardinals needing to secure a majority of 89 votes to ascend to the papal throne. With many cardinals having just met last week, concerns about the length of the election have been raised.
- In a nod to Pope Francis's progressive and inclusive approach, he appointed 108 of the 133 cardinal electors, bringing in pastors from lesser-known countries like Mongolia, Sweden, and Tonga, signalling a broadening of the Church's political and geographical scope.
