Will we know the next pope this Wednesday, the day of the start of the conclave? The answer is no, the smoke out of the Vatican fireplace was black, a sign that the Pope has not yet been designated.
It will be necessary to wait to know the name of the future pope: Wednesday it is a black smoke which came out of the chimney installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, where 133 cardinals began their conclave to elect in the greatest secrecy of François’s successor.
Around 9:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. GMT), dark scrolls escaped the fireplace, visible despite the night already fallen from Place Saint-Pierre where thousands of curious and faithful had flocked to know the live result, residing on the spot despite three hours of waiting.
This first round allowing to gauge the forces involved, it was unlikely that the majority of two thirds, that is to say 89 votes, is already reached. The cardinals will therefore meet on Thursday for a second day of closed-door conclave, with two ballot in the morning and two in the afternoon.
More than two weeks after the death of Jorge Bergoglio, the 133 cardinals voters coming from 70 countries – a record – had opened this process in the very codified ceremonial during the day and followed with attention by 1.4 billion Catholics in the world. Shortly after 4:00 p.m. (2:00 p.m. GMT) The prelates dressed in red and white found themselves for a common prayer in the Pauline chapel before going in a slow procession in the neighboring Sistine Chapel.
The hand placed flat on a page of the Gospel, they then engaged in Latin (“I promise, I force myself and I swear “) to keep the secret on this conclave, under penalty of excommunication. “”Outside all! “(” Tous dehors! “), then launched the master of pontifical liturgical celebrations, to bring out unauthorized people to participate in this meeting in drastic isolation: no mobile phone is authorized.
At 5:45 pm (3.45 pm GMT), the doors closed on the “Princes of the Church” and the secret of their choice, faced with the majestic fresco of the Last Judgment of Michelangelo.
-Massive interest
The world has from the eyes riveted on the chimney which will release, at the end of each session, its announcing smoke: black in the absence of choice, and white if the pope is elected.
Covered by some 5,000 journalists, this conclave arouses a massive interest in the world, far beyond the religious spheres, as evidenced by the millions of euros in Paris on the identity of the next pope, the success of the online games or the records of the film “Conclave”, released in 2024. Security was reinforced around the Saint-Pierre square whose number of access points was limited, The police.
“We knew that the conclave was starting today and we came. (…) It would be wonderful to see smoke, it doesn’t matter if it is not white!“Said Gabriella Sanz Balsells, a 48 -year -old Argentina. In a park near the Vatican, Catholic activists stirred pink smoke to ask that women can be ordered priests.
Who, among the 133 cardinals, will appear dressed in white on the Balcony of the Saint-Pierre Basilica? From Italians Pietro Parolin and Pierbattista Pizzaballa to Maltese Mario Grech via the Archbishop of Marseille, French Jean-Marc Aveline, or Philippin Luis
Antonio Tagle, several names have emerged among the “papabili”, considered to be favorites. But this conclave promises to be particularly open with an unprecedented representation of the “peripheries” dear to Pope Francis, who appointed 81% of cardinals voters.
“There is undoubtedly an opposition both cultural, and (made) of political resentment, of certain Churches of the South with regard to Westerners and in particular Europeans“, Tells François Mabille, director of the geopolitical observatory of the religious. There are also, according to him,”a cleavage“Between” those who believe that the doctrine must be constantly recalling, and the more pastoral profiles, in a logic of accompaniment “of the faithful.
To confront their views of the challenges of the Church, the cardinals have held in recent days 12 “general congregations“To draw the profile of the next pope. But in this very open election, the geopolitical context could weigh.
“One can quite imagine that the cardinals sensitive to the international context that we have known since the return of (Donald) Trump say that it takes an experienced person at the head of the Catholic Church, and in particular someone who knows international relations perfectly“, Adds François Mabille.
conclave Pape
