The results of the voting within the Conclave (the live) are announced in the world through the “smokes”: white in the case of the election of the Pope, black if the necessary majority has not been reached. In any case, during the days the smoke can arrive at specific times: as the director of the Vatican press room Matteo Bruni said, Today the first communication to the world of the results of the vote will be “not before 19”. Starting from Thursday, however, the smokes will be around 10.30 (in this case only if white) or 12 (which will concern the two balls of the morning); In the afternoon at 17.30 (also in this case only if white) or around 7pm (which will concern the two ballots of the afternoon). The smokes are therefore two a day, but in the event of a positive outcome it will not be at the end of the session but it is anticipated.
How the smokes work
To elect the Pope, the votes of two thirds of the voters present and voters are needed. In the card the cardinals write only one name (who the papabili are), under penalty of nullity. If you do not reach two thirds, the cards are perforated and tied with a tape. Twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon, they are burned in the stove installed at Sistine, with a dye that gives a black smoke (perchorated potassium, anthracept and sulfur). If the candidate receives at least two thirds of the preferences, the dean asks him in Latin “accept your election, canonically occurred, in Supreme Pontiff”. To the operating response, the dean asks, always in Latin, “with what name do you want to be called?”. The elect replies “Vocabor” (I will be called) and the name, with the relative number. After acceptance, the cards are burned in the stove with a dye that gives a white smoke (potassium chlorate, lactose and colophony).
