VATICAN Sistine Chapel– Cardinals to vote again as secret election to choose a new pope goes to fourth ballot.
On Thursday 8th May2025, Black smoke rises againa bove Sistine Chapel as next Pope remains undecided
The conclave has resumed after the morning votes ended with black smoke pouring from the Sistine Chapel chimney.
Black smoke signalling that no new Pope has been elected.
This was the second smoke signal from the secret conclave.
The 133 cardinal electors sent up a black smoke signal on Wednesday evening as they work to come to a two-thirds majority to elect a successor to Pope Francis.
The smoke is the only public sign of what is happening during the Papal Conclave, after the cardinals handed in their phones and took oaths of secrecy while the Vatican shut down mobile phone towers to protect the deliberations.
The assembled cardinals vote up to four times a day, while crowds gather in St Peter’s Square to wait for the white smoke that signals the Conclave has selected a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month.