Black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday night (May 7, 2025), signaling that the first vote of the papal conclave has not yielded a new pope.
The symbolic smoke appeared at 9 p.m. local time, roughly four hours after 133 cardinals entered the chapel and began the secretive process of electing a successor to Pope Francis. No candidate received the required two-thirds majority (89 votes).
What to know:
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Black smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday evening, confirming that no candidate secured the necessary two-thirds majority during the first round of voting in the papal conclave.
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The voting marks the formal beginning of the centuries-old tradition to choose a new leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church, following the end of Pope Francis’s papacy.
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A total of 133 cardinals, draped in red robes, entered the Sistine Chapel earlier in the day to solemn choral and organ music. Once inside, the doors were sealed, signaling the official start of the conclave.
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Only cardinal-electors (those under age 80) can vote. They are now completely isolated from the outside world—telecom access was shut down by 9 a.m. ET.
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Voting will continue in subsequent rounds each day until one cardinal receives at least 89 votes (two-thirds majority).
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The election of a new pope will be signaled by white smoke from the chapel’s chimney. Soon after, the new pontiff will appear on the Apostolic Palace balcony to greet the world.
The choice ahead:
Cardinals now face a critical decision — whether to elect a reformer in the mold of Pope Francis, who championed social justice, climate action, and inclusivity, or to return to a more traditional path for the Catholic Church.
The cardinals will now return to their Vatican accommodations for the night and reconvene Thursday morning (May 8) for the next round of voting to elect the new leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.
