No Pope yet as Conclave continues after two rounds of ballots . Thousands of Catholic faithful watched in quiet anticipation at St. Peter’s Square today, only to be met with the familiar sight of black smoke rising from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel—a signal that the cardinal-electors have yet again failed to reach a decision on who will become the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Shortly before noon (10:00 GMT), the dark plume emerged, following two rounds of morning voting during the second day of the papal conclave. The 133 cardinals under the age of 80, locked in sacred secrecy since Wednesday, remain at an impasse.
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According to Vatican tradition, black smoke means no consensus has been reached, while white smoke heralds the successful election of a new pope. The smoke results from the burning of the ballots mixed with chemicals—an ancient ritual watched worldwide with deep symbolism.
A Quicker Process, Still No Result
In a notable development, the black smoke appeared earlier than expected in the morning session, suggesting that the cardinals are voting more efficiently than during the opening round on Wednesday evening.
“It seems the electors are now familiar with the process,” one Vatican analyst noted. “The earlier-than-expected signal suggests they’re moving through ballots swiftly, even if no agreement has been reached yet.”
This morning’s voting brings the total to two ballots without a conclusive result. Two more votes are scheduled for Thursday afternoon, with another smoke signal likely to appear after 5:30 p.m. (15:30 GMT).
Historical Parallels & Speculation
Historically, few popes have emerged from the conclave on the first day of voting. Pope Francis, whose passing earlier this year triggered this conclave, was elected during the evening session on the second day in 2013. His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, followed a similar pattern in 2005.
With that in mind, many in the square and beyond still hold hope that a final decision could come later today, especially as momentum builds behind key candidates—though no frontrunner has yet emerged publicly.
The Wait Continues
Meanwhile, the global Catholic community remains in a state of quiet anticipation. Pilgrims, clergy, and curious onlookers continue to gather outside the Sistine Chapel, eyes fixed skyward, awaiting the white smoke and the ancient Latin announcement: “Habemus Papam”—We have a pope.
Until then, the cardinals will continue their deliberations behind closed doors, united in their mission but divided in their choice.
— Reporting by New Daily Prime Vatican Correspondent
