Black smoke billows from Sistine Chapel after first conclave vote

STORY: :: Black fume billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling an inconclusive archetypal ballot by cardinals

:: May 7, 2025

:: Vatican City

Thousands of faithful gathered successful St. Peter's Square waiting for fume to determination from a constrictive flue connected the extortion of the chapel astatine the extremity of a time affluent successful ritual and pageantry, with prelates praying for divine guidance successful their concealed ballot.

The crowds had to beryllium diligent arsenic it took longer than expected for the fume to appear, much than 3 hours aft the commencement of the conclave. This was an hr much than it took for fume to beryllium seen aft the archetypal ballot successful the 2013 conclave that picked the precocious Pope Francis.

When a pope is chosen, achromatic fume volition emerge, but this had not been expected connected Wednesday - a pontiff has not been picked connected the archetypal time of a conclave successful modern times.

However, immoderate cardinals said this week that they hoped to wrapper things up by Thursday oregon Friday to amusement the Church tin stay unified aft the often divisive, 12-year papacy of Francis, who died past month.