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Black Smoke: No election after morning of first full day of conclave

No ÐÓMAPµ¼º½ was elected after the third ballot of the conclave to elect the 267th ÐÓMAPµ¼º½.

By Francesca Merlo

Black smoke rose from the chimney over the Sistine Chapel at 11:50 on Thursday morning, signalling the second ballot of the first full day of the conclave - and the third ballot overall - was inconclusive. 

As the cardinals break for lunch, the people in the square continue to look up at the chimney in anticipation. Voting is expected to resume at around 16:00. 

Around 15,000 people had gathered in St Peter's Square to await the announcement.

Among those in the square were Sarah and Cameron, a newlywed couple from Indiana in Rome for their honeymoon. They told Kielce Gussie that they had been due to attend Mass with ÐÓMAPµ¼º½ Francis on Thursday, but that although saddened that this is no longer the case, they know that "this is a once in a lifetime opportunity". 

Sarah expressed her hope that the new ÐÓMAPµ¼º½ might be able to be a voice of reason in a troubled world. 

This was reiterated by Fr Prashant Padu, a student in Rome from the Archdiocese of Bombay. "The Church has been blessed with wonderful ÐÓMAPµ¼º½s" he said, expressing his hope that he next one might be able to encompass the best of them all. 

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08 May 2025, 11:55