Cardinal electors have withdrawn to pray, deliberate and cast votes in secret elections. The proceedingss are set to continue Thursday.

While this process is held in secrecy, the rest of the world is informed on the group's daily decisions by white or black-colored smoke funneled from the top of the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke ...

Black smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday and again Thursday morning indicated that a new pope had not yet been chosen to replace Pope Francis. Using smoke to communicate to ...

Black smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel signals that cardinals failed to elect a new pope during their conclave in the Vatican on May 8, 2025. AP Black smoke appeared from a ...

Tradition holds that black smoke indicates the cardinals have not yet agreed on a new leader, while white smoke signals that a new Pope has been elected. But what kind of smoke is it exactly?

VATICAN CITY — Black smoke streamed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, signaling to the world that the 133 cardinal electors have not come to a two-thirds agreement about who ...

When that happens, white smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel's chimney. If the two-thirds majority is not reached, black smoke is emitted instead, signaling that the conclave will resume with ...