Vatican City: Deadlock as Cardinals Fail to Elect a New Pope on the Inaugural Day of the Conclave
Smoke filled the skies above the Sistine Chapel yesterday, signaling that the cardinals had not chosen a new religious leader on the first day of the conclave. There's no clear frontrunner for the job, and the cardinals will continue to cast secret ballots until they elect a successor to Pope Francis on Thursday.
With over a hundred cardinals back in seclusion at the Santa Marta residence within the Vatican, the rest of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics will have to wait in anticipation while keeping tight-lipped about any potential hints about the future pope. The cardinals have given up their electronic devices and taken an oath of secrecy to prevent leaks or outside surveillance. Breaking the oath of secrecy could result in automatic excommunication from the church.
Outside of the Vatican's St. Peter's Square, thousands gathered to watch the smoke signals from the burning ballots, though it's highly unusual for a new pope to be selected after only one vote. The last two popes, Benedict XVI and Francis, were appointed on the second day of voting, while John Paul II was appointed on the third day.
The next three days may see up to four rounds of voting per day, with a break for prayer, quiet reflection, and informal discussion by the fifth day if a new pontiff has not been elected. This conclave is shaping up to be a battle between those who want to continue with the late Pope Francis' reforms and vision and those who want to make a correction towards a more traditional papacy.
Two emerging camps of cardinals are rallying under the banners of "unity" and "diversity". Those seeking unity want a more predictable papacy, while those seeking diversity want a candidate who aligns more closely with Francis' footsteps. The conclave is taking place amidst widespread clerical sexual abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church, with many calling for deep reforms within the Church.
Some potential candidates often mentioned are Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio "Chito" Tagle, American cardinal Robert Prevost, and Italian cardinal Pietro Parolin, the former Vatican Secretary of State. However, the lauded Italian diplomat Parolin is widely regarded as the main frontrunner due to his moderate and sensible nature, and his strong diplomatic experience and connections. Tagle is another notable contender, being the second most mentioned candidate and representing the fast-growing Catholic population in Asia.
The increased diversity among the cardinal electors, with fewer than half coming from Europe and many first-time voters participating, may influence the election outcome in favor of candidates like Tagle, who represent regions with expanding Catholic populations.
- The increased diversity among the cardinal electors, with fewer Europeans and more first-time voters, could lead to the coalescing of support for candidates like Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio "Chito" Tagle, who represents regions with growing Catholic populations.
- The cardinals' dialog inside the Vatican is filled with unpredictability as they grapple with the decision of electing a successor to Pope Francis, with two emerging camps rallying under the banners of "unity" and "diversity".
- The outside political sphere is watching the proceedings with great interest, as the selection of the new pope seems to be shaping up as a battle between those who want to continue with the late Pope Francis' reforms and vision and those who favor a more traditional approach, all amidst widespread clerical sexual abuse scandals calling for deep reforms within the Church.
