Catholics around the world are holding their breath in anticipation of a new pope, as the conclave on Thursday failed to reach a decision in its second round of voting.
Once again, black smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel—signalling that the cardinals locked in conclave have not yet chosen a new pope to guide the Roman Catholic Church.
The cardinals held an initial inconclusive vote on Wednesday evening, followed by two more rounds on Thursday morning, as thousands of faithful gathered again in St. Peter’s Square.
They are expected to hold up to two more ballots on Thursday afternoon, with the next smoke signal anticipated sometime after 5:30 p.m. (1530 GMT). Voting continues up to four times per day until a candidate secures a two-thirds majority.
The 133 cardinal electors entered the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, where they will remain in strict seclusion until a new pope is elected. The procedure, known as the conclave, involves a series of secret ballots. To be declared pope, a candidate must receive a two-thirds majority of the votes.
Earlier Wednesday, the Vatican’s Master of Ceremonies pronounced “Extra Omnes”—Latin for “everyone out”—marking the formal start of the voting process. From that point forward, the cardinals have been cut off from the outside world, with all communication restricted to protect the integrity of the election.
The global Catholic community is closely watching the proceedings, with anticipation building around who might emerge as the next leader of the 1.3 billion-member Church.
In his homily before the conclave, Cardinal Giovanni Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, emphasised that “the unity of the Church is willed by Christ—a unity that does not mean uniformity, but a firm and profound communion in diversity, provided that full fidelity to the Gospel is maintained.”
The voting cardinals represent more than 70 countries, reflecting the increasingly global face of the Church.
While no official frontrunners have been named, speculation continues around several prominent figures from Italy, the Philippines, and the Middle East—each seen as symbolic of different priorities and challenges facing the modern Church.
At 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, black smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating that the first ballot had concluded without a pope. The same occurred after Thursday morning’s votes.
The conclave is being conducted under tight security, including electronic surveillance and signal-blocking technology, to prevent leaks or external interference.
Until white smoke appears above the Vatican, the world waits in prayer, speculation, and hope for the announcement of the next pope.
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