An estimated crowd of 45,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Thursday morning for the second day of the conclave in anticipation of the election of a successor to Pope Francis.
However, if a new pope is to be selected on Thursday, it will be later in the day. The first vote by the College of Cardinals on Thursday resulted in black smoke emanating from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at 11:50 a.m. local time, meaning St. Peter’s successor had not been agreed upon.
The next pope will need at least 89 votes out of 133 to obtain a majority from the College of Cardinals. The 133 cardinals voting is the highest number ever to vote in a conclave, according to reports. Since no one was elected in the first vote this morning, there are up to three more voting opportunities on Thursday to select the 267th pope.
The next ballot burning will occur Thursday evening around 7 p.m.
If no pope is elected after the third day of voting, the cardinals take a 24-hour break. The process could continue for days; however, no papal conclave has lasted more than four days since 1831.
