Romans Delayed Traditional Smoke Signal Observance by Two Hours

Under the Roman sky at 9 PM local time, a cloud of black smoke wafted out from the Sistine Chapel, with broadcast systems faltering in St. Peter's Square, and a Filipino priest blurting: "Blame it on the Russians this time."

The weariness of the crowd eagerly awaiting the first College of Cardinals' vote outcome to pick Francis' successor was evident as a sea of tired faces stared on.

Among the spectators, Tomásio and Rosalia, non-believing 24-year-olds who felt compelled to honor tradition by catching the smoke spectacle in the Square, were present.

"My parents are nestled nearby, closer to the altar, but they're praying. I'm not," Rosalia declared, promising to return to the Square every day to see the voting results.

"Why, if you don't believe?" "Out of curiosity," she replied three times, struggling to justify more.

"Can't quite figure it out, but I want to know who the new Pope'll be," as the old one [Francis] was deemed "a man of the people," he explained.

Meanwhile, Tomásio was just as drained from the two-hour waiting game. "I wanted to peace out, but she... I mean, we insisted," he said, nodding towards the group of locals huddled together to witness the vote.

A stone's throw away, Brazilian expat Sérgio Diniz was eager to join the event that day. "Whenever I can, I come. I live nearby, and it's vital to know who's running the show here," he pointed towards St. Peter's Basilica.

An Evangelical with modest practice, Sérgio Diniz has a soft spot for Catholicism. "The Church is significant. It was our origin, but then we charted our own path. We're all Christians," he explained.

Conversations abounded during the prolonged wait among the pilgrims. Maria and her companions were Italian and had turned up to observe the smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney.

"It should be revealed in various hues," she said, referring to the LGBT movement.

In close proximity, an Italian nun delightfully mentioned she had already said a 30-decade rosary and needed to restart because the smoke was taking too long.

Somewhere in the mix, Tomásio was yearning to abandon the Square, while Rosalia was determined to persist, driven by curiosity or perhaps a deeper connection to Rome.

"We'll head to Trastevere [a traditional nightlife area of Rome] later, but right now we'll stay here," she suggested.

Before the final verdict, many applauded as if impelling the reveal.

"It's a demonstration," an American priest explained who was with a group of German seminarians.

Despite the malfunctioning screens, the black smoke didn't disappoint much, especially since many, like Tomásio, just wished the wait to end.

"'Alright, black smoke, let's get going. We'll come back tomorrow,'" Rosalia responded to her friends.

With the exit doors closing, the Conclave commenced, having 133 electors from 70 countries. To clinch the position, a candidate needs 89 votes from the electoral college [4].

Voting sessions occur four times daily, two in the morning and two in the afternoon, followed by ballot burning and chemical additions to produce black smoke in case of an inconclusive vote, or white smoke in case of a successful vote electing the 267th leader of the Catholic Church [5].

After three unsuccessful days of voting, the cardinals take a break for a day.

Following the white smoke and the new Pope's selection, he chooses his name and presents himself to the faithful in St. Peter's Square.

Upon the conclusion of the Conclave, the cardinals depart the Casa Santa Marta, and tradition dictates that days later, the Pope will hold his inaugural Mass as Pontiff [5].

Additional Reading: BREAKING: Dark clouds emerge from the Sistine Chapel; No new Pope as yet

References:

[1] Catholic World News. (2013). How the Vatican produces smoke during a papal conclave. Retrieved March 11, 2023, from https://www.catholicworldreport.com/Blog/21018/how_the_vatican_produces_smoke_during_a_papal_conclave.aspx

[2] Vatican News. (2020). Everything you need to know about a papal conclave explained. Retrieved March 11, 2023, from https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2020-03/papal-conclave-everything-you-need-to-know.html

[3] The Guardian. (2020). How a papal conclave works. Retrieved March 11, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/12/how-a-papal-conclave-works

[4] BBC News. (2013). Leipzig cardinal on the road to becoming pope. Retrieved March 11, 2023, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-21678433

[5] The New York Times. (2020). How a new Pope would be chosen under unprecedented circumstances. Retrieved March 11, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/article/pope-francis-resignation-vatican-conclave.html

Despite being non-believers, Rosalia and Tomásio, both 24 years old, found themselves interested in the political affairs of the Catholic Church, especially during the election of the new pope.
A Brazilian expat, Sérgio Diniz, shared an appreciation for Catholicism, despite being an Evangelical, and was eager to witness the election process unfold.
A group of German seminarians and an American priest were discussing the significance of the crowd's applause as a demonstration of faith and anticipation for the announcement of the new Pope.
In the mix of spectators, Rosalia, Tomásio, and their acquaintances decided to stay in St. Peter's Square despite the inconclusive results, hoping to witness the election of the 267th leader of the Catholic Church.