No election has been confirmed for the Pope after the morning of the first full day of the conclave.
The third ballot of the conclave on Thursday morning ended with black smoke rising from the chimney over the Sistine Chapel at around 12:50 PM Ugandan time, signaling that no candidate has yet been elected as the 267th Pope.
As the cardinals break for lunch, people in St. Peter’s Square continue to look up at the chimney in anticipation.
Voting is expected to resume at around 4:00 PM.
Approximately 15,000 people have gathered in the square to await the announcement.
Among those present are Sarah and Cameron, a newlywed couple from Indiana currently in Rome.
A total of 133 cardinals are participating in the election to choose Pope Francis’s successor, following his death from a stroke and heart failure on April 21st. We will continue to monitor for updates.
By Vatican
8th May 2025
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