Thick black smoke has emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the cardinals sealed inside have failed to elect a new pope in their first conclave vote. This event unfolded on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, as tens of thousands of people gathered in Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Square, eagerly awaiting the smoke that would indicate the outcome of the voting.
After the 133 cardinals were sequestered, the smoke billowed out approximately three hours and 15 minutes later. The cardinals had surrendered their mobile phones and were cut off from the outside world, with airwaves around the Vatican jammed to prevent any communications until a new pope is elected.
The cardinals are set to reconvene in the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, May 8, 2025, to cast their votes again. They will continue this process until one of them secures a two-thirds majority, which translates to 89 votes, to be elected as the next pope. The first vote, which concluded without a clear winner, was not unexpected. As Al Jazeera’s Hoda Abdel-Hamid reported, "In no living memory has there been a pope that was elected on the first day of the conclave." This initial vote often serves as a gauge for the cardinals to assess their fellow electors' preferences.
The start of the conclave was marked by a solemn procession of cardinals and other clergy into the Sistine Chapel, with the event streamed live on large screens in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. Crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square, eagerly watching the chimney for any sign of smoke. While some attendees left in frustration, others cheered when the black smoke finally emerged.
Among those waiting was Irish tourist Catriona Hawe, 60, who expressed her hopes for the new pope. "It would be perfect, lovely to be here for a new pope," she said. "Francis was brilliant, progressive, a man of the people, though he didn’t move things forward as quickly as I would have liked. The Church won’t be doing itself any favours if it elects someone conservative."
The black smoke signifying the failure to elect a new pope emerged at 21:00 on Wednesday evening, following the first ballot. This moment was a crucial part of the conclave process, which is steeped in tradition and secrecy. The last time a pope was elected on the first day of the conclave was a rarity, with the longest papal election on record lasting an astonishing 1,006 days, from 1268 to 1271.
As the cardinals prepare for the next round of voting, there is no clear frontrunner to succeed Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, after 12 years as the head of the Catholic Church. The cardinals represent a wide range of progressive and conservative traditions within the Church, and numerous names are circulating as potential candidates. Among them are Italian Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Hungary’s Peter Erdo, and Sri Lanka’s Malcolm Ranjith.
Another notable figure in the mix is Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo from Kinshasa, who could become the first African pope in 1,500 years if elected. The impact of such a selection would be profound, reflecting the Church’s growing global diversity.
However, the new pope will face numerous challenges that the 2,000-year-old institution must navigate. These include declining numbers of priests, the role of women in the Church, and the Vatican’s financial issues. Moreover, the Church must adapt to modern societal changes while dealing with the ongoing fallout from the clerical child abuse scandal that has plagued its reputation. In the West, many churches are experiencing increasingly empty pews, adding to the urgency of the situation.
Furthermore, the new pope will have to engage in diplomatic balancing acts amid geopolitical uncertainties, as well as address deep divisions within the Church. The conclave is not just about electing a leader but about choosing a path for the future of the Catholic Church.
As the cardinals prepare to cast their votes once again, the world watches closely, hoping for a leader who can unite the Church and address its pressing issues. The conclave continues to unfold in a setting rich with history and tradition, where every vote counts and the future of millions hangs in the balance.
