Black smoke has once more risen from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, which means cardinals have been unable to elect a brand new pope within the newest spherical of voting.
The black smoke appeared at about 10.50am UK time on Thursday morning, on the morning of the second day of voting to elect the subsequent pope.
The primary spherical passed off on Wednesday afternoon, when the 133 eligible cardinals gathered within the well-known Sistine Chapel to elect a successor to the late Pope Francis.
A two-thirds majority is required, or 89 votes, for a brand new chief of the Catholic Church to be elected.
Follow the latest updates on the conclave
White or black smoke, signalling whether or not a pope has been elected or not, is anticipated once more by 6pm UK time, however it might be as quickly as 4.30pm, after the primary spherical of votes within the afternoon session.
Cardinals praying within the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday. Pic: Vatican Media/Reuters
In accordance with Italian newspaper La Repubblica, an estimated 11,000 individuals had been in St Peter’s Sq. on Thursday morning as they awaited outcomes from the conclave.
The cardinals, who’ve come from everywhere in the world for the traditional course of to elect the pope, might be breaking apart for lunch now earlier than returning to the Sistine Chapel for one more vote on Thursday afternoon.
Two votes are held each morning and each afternoon till a majority is reached.
However smoke solely emerges from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney after the second poll for every session.
If, nevertheless, a brand new pope had been to be elected within the first spherical of a session, white smoke would emerge proper after that.
Who might be the subsequent pope?
The dean of the Faculty of Cardinals, who at 91 is simply too outdated to participate within the conclave, has stated he hopes “to see the white smoke this night after I return to Rome”.
Giovanni Battista Re made the feedback moments after the black smoke emerged on Thursday morning and whereas visiting Pompeii.
Learn extra:
Conclave: Behind the scenes
It is a sign from probably the most senior individuals within the Catholic Church {that a} new pope might be elected by the top of Thursday.
He added: “Initially, the brand new pope should attempt to strengthen religion in God on this world of our’s characterised by technological progress, however which, on the non secular facet, we have now seen a little bit of ‘forgetting God’.
“So there’s the necessity for a reawakening.”
It comes after he was overheard on Wednesday telling one of many frontrunners for the papacy, Pietro Parolin: “Finest needs. Double greatest needs”.
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