Today, tens of thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square as 133 cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel to begin the secretive process of selecting the next pope. Following the formal oath of secrecy and a ceremonial procession, the first round of voting began just after 5:45 p.m. local time.
At 9:05 p.m., eyes turned to the chapel’s iconic chimney, where plumes of black smoke appeared — signaling to the world that no candidate had yet reached the two-thirds majority needed to become the next leader of the Catholic Church. The sight of the smoke drew applause from the crowd of more than 45,000 pilgrims and visitors waiting below.
This conclave follows the passing of Pope Francis last month at age 88. Many faithfuls, like Cinzia Caporali and her husband from Tuscany, came to Rome to visit Francis’s tomb at Santa Maria Maggiore before witnessing the start of the conclave. Caporali, who was present in Rome when Pope Benedict XVI was elected in 2005, told SNEWS she’s hoping the next pope will continue Francis’s mission, especially his focus on the marginalized.
Earlier today, during a mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who also led Pope Francis’s funeral, urged his fellow cardinals to set aside personal ambitions. Calling the selection “an act of maximum responsibility,” Re emphasized that the church needs a leader guided by love and ready to face the complex challenges of today’s world.
The college of cardinals faces a delicate balancing act. Many cardinals align with the progressive reforms Francis championed, while others hope to reverse course. Despite these divisions, most cardinals are eager to avoid a prolonged conclave that might highlight internal fractures.
Outside the chapel, another voice echoed through Rome: women’s rights groups. Advocates from Catholic Women’s Ordination (CWO) staged a peaceful demonstration, releasing pink smoke from Gianicolo Hill overlooking St. Peter’s.
Miriam Duignan, leading the UK-based group, said, “As the 133 men inside use smoke signals to announce their decision, we also send smoke signals to call attention to the silencing of half the global church — its women.”
While the role of women in the church was notably absent from the cardinals’ pre-conclave discussions, many outside hope the next pope will bring fresh attention to the issue.
The conclave resumes Thursday and will continue with up to four voting rounds per day until a successor is chosen. White smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney will signal to the world that a new pope has been elected.
We will keep you updated as the conclave continues in the coming days. Who will lead the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics into the future? We will be here to bring you the latest.
Reporting by Megan Owen.
