Today’s voting is, well, slightly complicated. We’re set for four rounds of voting, but interestingly, we might not see smoke signals after each one of them.
As I mentioned earlier, the four rounds are expected around 9:30 AM and noon, with another round after a long lunch at 5:30 PM and then again at 7 PM.
Now, according to reports from Italian media, what we see really depends on how the votes turn out inside the Sistine Chapel.
If the Cardinals choose a new Pope, we’ll likely see white smoke right away. But, if not, we’ll only witness black smoke at the end of each voting session—whether it’s morning or afternoon—not after every vote.
This essentially means we’ll be gazing up at the chimneys for a bit longer, curious about the happenings inside.
After a good night’s rest at the Santa Marta guesthouse, the 133 Cardinal electors will soon return to the Sistine Chapel for another voting round on selecting the next Pope.
The morning mass will precede their arrival, and following that, the actual voting will take place. It’s worth noting that three of the last five Popes have been elected on the second day of the conclave, so there’s a good chance we could see white smoke today; a majority of 89 votes is necessary.
However, this conclave feels quite different, with the largest and most diverse group of Cardinals participating from 70 different countries—many of whom are meeting for the first time.
We’ll keep you updated as things unfold.
So, here we are on this Thursday, May 8, 2025. Let’s hope for some exciting news. Good morning!
