The Catholic Church's cardinal
electors were in the Sistine Chapel on Thursday for the second
day of the conclave to elect Pope Francis's successor.
As expected, the first smoke to pour out of the Sistine
Chapel's chimney on Wednesday was black, indicating that none of
the 133 prelates taking part in the conclave had won the
two-thirds majority necessary to become the 267th pontiff.
There will be up to four votes and two smoke signals a day until
a new pontiff is elected.
On Thursday, the first smoke signal could come at around noon,
unless a new pope is chosen in the first vote of the day, in
which case the white smoke would puff out of the chimney at
around 10:30 a.m.
Similarly, the subsequent smoke signal would not come until
around 7:00 pm unless the first vote of the afternoon were
decisive, in which case the white smoke would come out at around
5:30 p.m.
The cardinals will remain behind closed doors with no contact
with the outside world until a new leader of the Catholic Church
is chosen.
The faithful had already started to gather in St Peter's Square
early on Thursday, their eyes looking to the chimney of the
Sistine Chapel awaiting the next smoke signal.
Francis died on April 21, Easter Monday, at the age of 88 after
12 years at the helm of the Church.
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