Conclave in Rome – what’s next?: Cardinals vot up to four times

The search for a successor for Pope Francis (1936-2025) goes into the next round. After black smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday evening – the clear sign that the 133 cardinals entitled to vote have not yet been able to agree on a new Pontifex – there are up to four further electoral courses today.

The first attempt to vote did not bring the required two -thirds majority. On St. Peter’s Square, thousands of believers had survived until 9 p.m. to experience the result. But instead of white smoke that would have announced a new Pope, it smoked black.

Today’s Thursday follows a precisely defined process: the cardinals spent the night in the Vatican guest house in Santa Marta. At 7:45 a.m. they returned to the Apostolic Palace. There has been a mass in the Pauline chapel since 8:15 a.m. before the first ballot of the day begins in the Sistine chapel at 9:15 a.m.

Another ballot is scheduled after this first vote. If no candidate reaches the necessary two -thirds majority, further smoke signals could be seen around 10:30 a.m. and around 12 noon.

After a lunch break, the concrete timetable provides for two more rounds in the afternoon. The smoke signs would then be expected at around 5:30 p.m. and around 7 p.m.

Contrary to popular ideas, not only the cardinals are present in the conclave. , there are around 100 other people in the shielded area: kitchen staff, doctors, nurses, confessional fathers, technicians and security forces. The papal ceremonial master Diego Giovanni Ravelli (59) can also be included in the Sistine chapel despite the lack of voting rights. It was also he who closed the big goal of the chapel on Wednesday evening and officially initiated the conclave.

All non-cardinals put an oath on Monday to maintain absolute confidentiality about their experiences during the conclave.

The shortest conclave in history has only lasted a few hours: Julius II was elected on October 31, 1503. Also Pius XII. was determined on the first day in 1939 – a record that the next Pope can no longer break.

The longest conclave, on the other hand, ran over three years: after Clemens IV’s death in November 1268, the 18 cardinals gathered in Viterbo only agreed on a compromise on September 1, 1271.

It remains to be seen whether there will already be white smoke. As soon as a cardinal has reached the necessary majority, the new Pope will be announced on St. Peter’s Square with the words “Habemus Papam” (German “We have a Pope”).