Black Smoke Signals No New Pope on Day One of Vatican Conclave

Black smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday evening, signaling that the first vote by Catholic cardinals to elect a new pope ended without a decision.

Thousands of faithful braved the wait in St. Peter's Square, eyes fixed on the narrow flue atop the chapel, where centuries of tradition mark the result of each voting round with colored smoke—black for no result, white for a successful election. The smoke appeared over three hours after the conclave began, longer than the first vote in the 2013 conclave that eventually selected Pope Francis.

Though expectations for a first-day selection were low—modern conclaves rarely yield a pope on the first vote—the symbolic moment still held weight, especially in light of the Church’s desire to demonstrate unity following the passing of Pope Francis last month. Francis, who led the Catholic Church for 12 years, was both celebrated and criticized for his progressive stance on issues such as LGBT inclusion, interfaith dialogue, and communion for the divorced.

The 133 voting cardinals, all under the age of 80, are sequestered from the outside world as they deliberate on who should next lead the Church’s 1.4 billion followers. They will spend the night at Vatican guesthouses, where informal discussions often shape the direction of future ballots. On Thursday, they will reconvene for up to four votes—two in the morning and two in the afternoon—repeating the cycle until one candidate receives at least two-thirds support, or 89 votes.

The only communication from within the conclave remains the colored smoke—created by burning ballots mixed with special chemicals.

While no frontrunner has clearly emerged, speculation surrounds several prominent figures, including Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. Should neither gain traction, votes may shift to other contenders such as Jean-Marc Aveline of France, Hungary's Peter Erdo, American Robert Prevost, or Italy’s Pierbattista Pizzaballa.

This conclave is the most globally diverse in history, with 133 cardinal electors from 70 countries—an increase from the 115 cardinals representing 48 nations in the 2013 conclave. It reflects Pope Francis’ efforts to globalize Church leadership during his pontificate, particularly by elevating voices from the Global South where the Catholic population is growing rapidly.

In a homily before the conclave, Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re—too old to vote at 91—urged his fellow clergy to focus solely on “the good of the Church and humanity,” reminding them that unity does not require uniformity. His remarks echoed a desire among many for a pope who can balance doctrinal firmness with pastoral sensitivity.

Wednesday’s proceedings began with a solemn procession into the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals took oaths of secrecy before Vatican Master of Ceremonies Archbishop Diego Ravelli announced “Extra omnes!”—Latin for “everyone out!”—clearing the chapel of all non-voting participants.

Though formal discussion is prohibited during voting rounds, informal lobbying and strategic conversations often unfold between ballots. With global attention fixed on the Vatican, the world now waits to see who will emerge as the next spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church.