The cardinals failed to elect a new Pope during the first round of voting at the conclave: on the evening of May 7, black smoke appeared from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. About this informs Vatican News.
Only one vote was scheduled for that day, the results of which were marked by black smoke. 133 cardinals participate in the conclave. To elect a new head of the Catholic Church, at least 89 votes are needed – two-thirds of the total number. Black smoke indicates that the vote did not result, and white smoke means that the Pope was elected.
At the moment, there is no clear favorite among the candidates for the position of Pope Francis. All 133 cardinals who took part in the vote have returned to the Santa Marta residence in the Vatican, where they will be in isolation. The next vote is scheduled for Thursday, May 8.
“All cardinals have taken an oath of secrecy and have given up their electronic devices to prevent communication outside the conclave, leaks or outside surveillance. Cardinals and Vatican staff will get their phones and devices back only after the conclave ends. Violation of the oath of secrecy will result in automatic excommunication.”, the message says.
We will remind that Pope Francis died on the morning of April 21. A few weeks earlier, he had been discharged from the hospital after severe treatment for bilateral pneumonia. He was the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church and held this position since March 13, 2013. According to the Vatican, the cause of death was a stroke and irreversible cardiovascular collapse.
Photo: dw.com
