Conclave: up to four rounds of voting is expected today, Thursday

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Speculation is rife in St. Peter’s Square about who it could be. Africa and Asia are high on the agenda, but even cardinals are facing the harsh reality. The Archbishop of Algiers, Jean-Paul Vesco, said, “It’s a bit like soccer. People talk a lot about African teams. But in the end, the attention is focused on the European teams.”

At 5 p.m. on Wednesday, “Extra omnes”—‘Everyone out’—except for the cardinals was the order of the day. The Sistine Chapel, with Michelangelo’s unique frescoes, was sealed. Inside, the first round of voting took place. Everyone wrote their preferred candidate on paper; their handwriting may be changed, but must remain legible.

Seagull causes a stir
Many faithful waited for the smoke on Wednesday evening, praying, kneeling, or sitting on the paving stones. “Even the seagulls are waiting,” joked an American priest as he watched the bird next to the chimney, clearly visible from the large screens in St. Peter’s Square, sitting motionless on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. It flew away repeatedly and returned to the chimney in front of millions worldwide: “And there it is again!”

Finally, in the evening, more than three hours after the gates had closed, the black smoke was released after a long delay. One can interpret this with disagreement. 1.4 billion Catholics continued to wait anxiously for their Supreme Shepherd. All the faithful who have traveled to Rome now remain there. The next few days will be exciting.

Up to four ballots a day from Thursday
Up to four rounds of voting are now planned for the following days at 10:30 am, 12 noon, 5:30 pm, and 7 pm. The ballots will then be cast at 12 noon and 7 pm.
Eighty-nine votes are required to elect the 267th pope. At the last conclave in 2013, 115 cardinals took part in the papal election; this time, there are 133. Incidentally, chemical additives are added to ensure that the smoke is black. White smoke is traditionally produced by adding moist straw.