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Black smoke from Sistine Chapel indicates no new pope yet
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Spectators watch black smoke rising as rain falls this morning in Vatican City.
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VATICAN CITY -- Black smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at about 11:40 a.m. local time Wednesday (6:40 a.m. in Pittsburgh), marking three ballots without the election of a successor to Pope Benedict XVI.
The 115 cardinals are required to vote prayerfully, in a long intricate process that involves multiple counts and checks of the written ballots. But they are also voting efficiently. On Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, smoke rose about 20 minutes before the Vatican Press Office had estimated it would.
Thousands of people were in the square to watch, despite a steady drizzle.
The cardinals voted once Tuesday evening and twice Wednesday morning. Smoke only goes up after the second ballot of each twice-daily session unless there is an election, so any early smoke will be white.
First Published March 13, 2013 7:12 am
