BLACK SMOKE: No Pope elected, voting continues tomorrow

Black smoke has emerged at the Vatican, indicating no Pope has been elected.

Vatican, Rome | THE INDEPENDENT |  Black smoke signaled the end of the first day of the conclave at 21:00 local time, hours after the doors of the Sistine Chapel were closed with the words, “Extra omnes” or “Everyone out.”

According to Vatican News, this means the conclave will continue tomorrow morning, when the Cardinal electors will gather once more in the Chapel around 10:30am Rome time to cast their votes again for the election of the 267th Pope.

Around 45,000 people had gathered in St Peter’s Square to await the announcement, which had been expected some time after 7pm. In the end, they had to wait until 9.

Among those in the square was Deacon Nicholas Nkoronko from Tanzania. Speaking to Vatican News, he said: “Our role here is to pray and to join with other Christians, other Catholics, to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide the whole process.”

“Wherever the new Pope comes from”, Deacon Nkoronko stressed, “whether it’s Africa, Asia, America, what we need is we need a holy Pope. We need a Pope who will guide the Church and will be the pastor of the Church.”

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