First round of voting produces black smoke

At 7:41pm local time in Rome (2:41pm EST) the first smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.  As expected it was black, indicating that the first round of voting had been conducted, and that none of the Cardinals had achieved the requisite two-third's majority.

In an effort to verify that every last detail was tended to, even the stoves used for the burning of the ballots after each round of voting was tested yesterday afternoon.  With great relief, those responsible for the technical details watched as copious amounts of smoke billowed from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel.  With the first round of voting complete, the Cardinals were preparing to pray Vespers (Evening Prayer) together in the Sistine Chapel before retiring for the evening.


Beginning tomorrow morning, there will be two rounds of voting in the morning session, and if there is no two-thirds majority in either of those two rounds, the ballots will be burned (and black smoke will appear again).  The Cardinals will then break for lunch and then return for an afternoon round of up to two votes.  Again, after two rounds of voting, if the election has not taken place, there will be black smoke from the chimney.  Only when one of the Cardinals has achieved the two-thirds majority will white smoke appear.

In general, smoke should appear above the chimney anytime from 5:00am to 8:00am EST (10:00am to 1:00pm local time in Rome) tomorrow morning, and if needed from 1:00pm to 3:00pm EST (6:00pm to 8:00pm local time in Rome).