Smoke Over the Vatican: The On-Going Conclave Drama
Unchosen pontiff amid plumes of smoky uncertainty engulfing Vatican. - Smoke ascending over the Vatican City, as yet, a pontiff unchosen
The curtain has finally risen on the suspenseful conclave, held inside the iconic Sistine Chapel in Rome. Cardinals from around the globe, all under the threshold of 80, have gathered to pick the next supreme leader of the Catholic Church. The first vote took place on Wednesday, but, alas, no candidate garnered the necessary majority.
The show must go on. Ballots will be cast once more on Thursday, with the cardinals striving for a consensus around the next Pope. Each round of voting requires that they unanimously agree on a candidate. If they fail, the ballots are burned with a special concoction, sending black smoke billowing from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel.
When a new Pope is duly elected, white smoke will rise, and the bells of St. Peter's Basilica will ring out in celebration.
- Pope
- Conclave
- Catholic Church
- Vatican
- Pope Francis
- Easter Monday
- Sistine Chapel
- Chimney
- Rome
The estimated 135 participants in this demanding process, appointed primarily by the previous Pope, strictly abide by secrecy and codes of ethics. Before casting their votes, they take an oath of absolute secrecy to maintain the sanctity of the election, with excommunication as the stern penalty for breaking this vow.
Throughout the three days of voting, cardinals write the name of their chosen candidate on a ballot with the Latin phrase "Eligo in Summum Pontificem" ("I elect as Supreme Pontiff"). Their ballots are collected and tallied, with the voting threshold set at a two-thirds majority to ensure a clear winner.
In the event of a stalemate, the process pauses for a day before resuming. The newly elected Pope then accepts the post, chooses a papal name, and announces himself to the world from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The smoke emitted from the chimney signals the progress of the election to the outside world. Black smoke indicates an unresolved vote, whilst white smoke symbolizes the election of the new Pope and the end of the conventicle.
- The cardinals, gathered in the Sistine Chapel for the conclave, are tasked with electing a new Pope for the Catholic Church, with the results signaled by smoke from the chimney.
- Pope Francis, the current Pope, was not elected during the initial vote, as no candidate managed to secure a two-thirds majority.
- The cardinals will continue their voting process, adhering to codes of ethics and secrecy to maintain the sanctity of the election, and will cast their ballots with the Latin phrase, "I elect as Supreme Pontiff".
- If the cardinals fail to elect a new Pope, black smoke will be emitted from the chimney, signifying an unresolved vote, and the process will pause before resuming the following day.
