Black smoke from Sistine Chapel; inconclusive vote Wednesday morning
Posted March 12, 2013 11:47 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VATICAN CITY (NEWS1130) – Cardinals have begun the second day of the papal conclave to select the new pope at the Sistine Chapel.
Black smoke billowed early Wednesday morning from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signalling that no decision has been made.
CityNews Channel reporter Francis D’Souza is reporting live from Vatican City.
The cardinals all took an oath of secrecy. Prior to the oath, led by prelates holding a crucifix and candles, the 115 scarlet-robed cardinals chanted the Litany of Saints, the hypnotic Gregorian chant imploring the intercession of the saints to help them choose the next pope.
They then took their places in the chapel frescoed by Michelangelo with scenes of “Creation” and “The Last Judgment.” Click here for the prayer service booklet.
Assuming the cardinals vote, the first puffs of smoke should emerge from the chapel chimney by 3 p.m. ET (8 p.m. local); black for no pope, white if a pope has been chosen. A bell at the St. Peter’s Basilica will also ring if a pope is chosen.
“The reason we’re not likely to see white smoke today is because there’s still [not a] clear front-runner. There are a couple names that are being thrown around — of course our Canadian cardinal Marc Ouellet — but throughout the pre-conclave meetings, no clear cardinal seemed to emerge,” D’Souza said.
Earlier Tuesday, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, led a mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, although he is too old to vote in the conclave.
The cardinals could vote up to four times a day until a new pontiff is elected. If a pope is not elected by Saturday, the cardinals will break for a day of reflection, and then resume voting on Sunday.
Conclave schedule
Wednesday
12:15 a.m. PT (8:15 a.m. local time): Mass in the Pauline Chapel.
1:30 a.m. PT (9:30 a.m. local time): Prayer in the Sistine Chapel, followed by voting.
4:30 a.m. PT (12:30 p.m. local time): Lunch break
8:50 a.m. PT (4:50 p.m. local time): Voting starts in the Sistine Chapel.
NOTE: Smoke will emerge from the chimney at the end of the morning session — 4 a.m. PT (noon local time) and at the end of the afternoon session — 10 a.m. (7 p.m. local time). But if an earlier vote yields a pope, white smoke would emerge at that time, ending the conclave.
The new pope will emerge onto the balcony and his identity is known within an hour after being elected.
