Voting is scheduled to resume around 4pm local time.
Black Smoke rose again from the Sistine Chapel just before noon on May 8, indicating that the first vote of the Cardinals on the second day of Conclave to elect a new Pope has failed.
According to the Vatican, the Cardinals celebrated the Mass and departed early from the Domus Sancte Martae settlement to gather at the Sistine Chapel for morning prayers and first votes just after 9am local time.
Voting is scheduled to resume around 4pm
An estimated 15,000 people from around the world gathered again in St. Peter’s Square to pray and watch viewing, and hours later they received their first results of the day.
This is the overall second vote after the appearance of black smoke around 9pm on May 7th.
Two-thirds majority vote is required to elect the next Pope. This is the most populous conclave in history, with 133 cardinal electors gathering in the chapel to make oaths of secrets. This means that at least 89 cardinals must agree who the next Pope should be.
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Previously, Pope Paul VI established a cap for cardinals under the age of 80. This remained until Pope Francis decided to increase the number by raising several more cardinals during his reign.
In doing so, Pope Francis also increased the number of countries that native-born cardinals represent at least 15 years old, as at least 70 different countries are represented.
According to the Vatican, 108 of them were appointed by Pope Francis, with 22 Pope Benedict XVI being appointed, while five remaining five remained, five appointed by Pope John Paul II.
All votes will be conducted by hand-written votes that have been scrutinized, verified and incinerated after each vote. That smoke is used to notify the world outside of the outcome. White smoke means you have reached the required majority. Black smoke means that the cardinals are still split.
If the Pope is not elected after three days, the vote will be suspended for prayer, informal discussion, and spiritual counsel of the Cardinal Card.
Pope St. John Paul II was elected in the eighth vote on the third evening of the Conclave in 1978. Pope Benedict XVI was elected on the fourth vote on the second day of the Conclave in 2005, while Pope Francis was elected on the fifth vote on the second day of the Conclave in 2013.
No matter how long you take it, the winning white smoke will be released from the chapel chimney, accompanied by the protodeacon’s “Habemus Papam.” An introduction to the new pope people occurs on the same day immediately after the vote.
