Black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney at 9 p.m. local time on May 7, signaling to the world that no new pope had been elected on the first day of voting during the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis.
At 4:30 p.m., 133 cardinals processed from the Vatican’s Pauline Chapel into the Sistine Chapel. After the papal master of ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, declared extra omnes (“everyone out”), the doors of the chapel were sealed and conclave voting began.
No new pope was expected to be elected on the first ballot during a contest with a range of front-runners and few clues as to who might emerge as the next pontiff. The first round of voting is typically a moment where cardinals are given their first opportunity to see which candidates are getting the most interest from other cardinal electors.
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With thanks to the National Catholic Reporter (NCR) and Christopher White, where this article originally appeared.
