The first vote of the conclave that began this Wednesday (07.05.2025) resulted in a black smoking, which means that there is no two -thirds majority among the cardinals to choose Francisco’s successor.
The black smoke began to leave the fireplace on the Sistine Chapel at 9:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. GMT), just over three hours after the conclave began formally.
This afternoon has been the first vote to designate Francisco’s successor, who died on April 21, after at 17.46 local hours (15.46 GMT) the doors of the Sistine Chapel after the “Extra omnes” (“All were”) pronounced by the master of Vatican ceremonies, Diego Ravelli, were closed.
This Thursday, the 133 cardinals under eighty will meet again from 9.00 for new votes.
It is planned that two votes take place in the morning and two in the afternoon and, if in the first ones there is no agreement on a name, there will only be two smoking, predictably not before 12.00 and 19.00 local hours (10.00 and 17.00 GMT, respectively).
More than 30,000 people witness First Fumata
-If there was a smoking before those hours it would be indicative that the cardinals have granted the majority of two thirds to one of them, which is set in 89 votes.
This Wednesday, before closing the doors, the cardinals swore before the EVELIAS to keep “the secret” about “everything that happens in the place of the election directly or indirectly concerning scrutiny”, among other things.
More than 30,000 people, according to police sources, went to the Plaza de San Pedro to witness the first smoke of the conclave.
There was a lot of expectation in the square, fueled by the duration of this first vote.
All eyes were heading towards the chimney on the Sistine Chapel, on whose roof a seagull (sometimes two) posed for much of the afternoon, as closest spectator of the event.
CT (AFP, NTV)
