Smoke rising from Vatican City remains unabated: Investigating delay in selection of a new Pontiff
Breaking News: Delay in the Papal Poll: More Cardinals, More Uncertainty!
Snap: REUTERS.
The grand old game of thrones, I mean, the papal succession, is heating up in the Vatican as our old mate Pope Francis's successor remains a mystery. The cardinals, after huddling up in the confines of the Sistine Chapel, have failed to agree on a candidate yet again, releasing another puff of ominous black smoke from the chapel's chimney.
You might wonder, what's with the smoke signals? Well, it's their way of telling the world that no one's hauled in the "Ring of the Fisherman" (a fancy name for the symbol of Saint Peter's successors) just yet. The first round of voting yesterday bore the same results.
Snap: REUTERS.
Remember the fairy tales where a downtrodden maid took charge and ruled a kingdom? Or the driver who ran the show in a district? Yeah, this isn't one of those stories. This is the Vatican, and even the cardinals are playing politics.
Speaking of cardinals, there's been an unprecedented turnout this time around. A record-breaking 133 are in the race, making it the first conclave to exceed the traditional limit of 120 electors[1]. It's a veritable smorgasbord of competing interests, and the black smoke billowing from the chapel is but a testament to the complexity of this year's election.
The election takes place under the ironclad isolation of the Sistine Chapel to keep any information from leaking. Only the cardinals under the age of 80 are allowed to cast their votes[1]. So, where's the drama, you ask? In the intricate web of alliances, backstabbing, and negotiating that's taking place behind those walls!
But fear not, faithful flock! The cardinals will be at it again soon. Voting will resume later in the day. Rest assured, we'll be watching that chimney like a hawk, hoping for a cloud of white smoke—the sign that the Catholic Church has a new leader!
[1] Enrichment Data: This conclave has broken the traditional limit of 120 electors established in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis. The College of Cardinals has recognized the right of all 133 cardinals to participate, effectively dispensing with the previous limit set by the document.
The cardinals, playing out their own intricate game of politics, have once again signaled an ended agreement on a papal candidate, as demonstrated by the black smoke emanating from the Sistine Chapel. Despite the record-breaking 133 candidates in the race, the first round of voting has thus far yielded no decisions. The ongoing election, shrouded in secrecy within the Sistine Chapel, is a complex web of alliances, backstabbing, and negotiating among the electors. The faithful hope for a change in the smoke signal, signals that might indicate a future papal choice.
