Black Smoke, No Pope: Day One of Vatican Conclave Ends Without Result

A swirl of black smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday evening, signaling that the first day of the Vatican conclave ended without the election of a new pope. As thousands watched from St. Peter’s Square, the 133 cardinal-electors failed to reach a consensus, sending a clear visual cue to the faithful below: the search for Pope Francis’s successor continues.

The historic ritual began with a solemn procession into the Sistine Chapel and a collective oath of secrecy taken by the cardinals. Voting officially began at around 5:45 p.m. local time. In the hours that followed, all eyes were fixed on the famed chimney – with even a lone seagull briefly perching atop it – until, at exactly 9:05 p.m., thick black smoke poured out, drawing applause and gasps from the crowd of more than 45,000 pilgrims and onlookers.

Although few expected a decision on the first day, the symbolism of the black smoke — indicating no clear majority — still stirred emotions across the square.

The conclave will resume on Thursday and continue until a new pontiff is elected with at least a two-thirds majority. The gathering follows the death of Pope Francis last month at the age of 88. His legacy, particularly his outreach to the marginalized and emphasis on humility over opulence, hangs heavy over the deliberations.

Among those in St. Peter’s Square was Cinzia Caporali, visiting from Tuscany with her husband. They had originally come to Rome to visit Francis’s tomb at the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica. Caporali recalled a similar moment in 2005 when she was in the city during the election of Pope Benedict XVI. “I remember people shouting, ‘Fatto, fatto, fatto!’ [It’s done],” she said, reminiscing about the white smoke that followed that swift conclave. “Now, I’m hoping for someone who carries forward Francis’s vision. He cared for the marginalized, and we need more of that, not the old grandeur of the Church.”

Indeed, Pope Francis’s legacy looms large. In his pre-conclave homily on Wednesday morning, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who also led Francis’s funeral Mass, urged the electors to prioritize humility and responsibility. He reminded them that their vote was not a political move but a spiritual duty.

“We are here to invoke the help of the Holy Spirit,” Re said from the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica. “This decision must be guided not by personal considerations but by love, the only force capable of transforming the world.”

Choosing a successor to Francis is no simple task. His 12-year papacy introduced sweeping reforms, welcomed progressive dialogue, and expanded the Church’s reach to neglected communities. However, the College of Cardinals remains divided. Some embrace Francis’s vision of a more inclusive and humble Church, while others seek a return to conservative orthodoxy. Many of the current cardinals had never met before coming to Rome for the funeral, further complicating the dynamics of consensus.

Nonetheless, insiders believe the cardinals are aiming for a swift decision, ideally within two or three days. A prolonged conclave might signal deep divisions within the Church — something the Vatican leadership is eager to avoid.

In the days leading up to the conclave, the cardinals met twice daily to discuss the future of the Catholic Church. Topics ranged from global evangelisation efforts and financial transparency to responses to clerical sexual abuse and the Church’s role in addressing war, migration, and poverty. Yet one pressing issue was notably absent from formal discussions: the role of women in the Church.

Despite Pope Francis’s efforts to expand women’s participation — including appointing them to several Vatican positions — he maintained that women could not become priests. This stance has remained a flashpoint among reform advocates and women’s groups, who gathered in Rome this week to demand change.

On Gianicolo Hill, overlooking the Vatican, bursts of pink smoke filled the air in peaceful protest just before the conclave commenced. Organized by the UK-based Catholic Women’s Ordination (CWO) movement, the symbolic act mirrored the Vatican’s own smoke signals — with a pointed message.

Miriam Duignan, a leader of the CWO, explained: “While 133 male cardinal-electors use smoke to communicate with the world, we did the same. But ours is a message of inclusion, challenging the Church to acknowledge the voices of women it has long silenced.”

She continued, “Half the global Church remains voiceless, yet it’s women who hold up so much of its structure and spirit. It’s time the hierarchy recognized this.”

As the conclave continues, the world waits for white smoke — the age-old sign that a new pope has been chosen. Until then, St. Peter’s Square remains a place of vigil and hope, echoing prayers for a leader who will unite a complex and evolving Church at a crucial moment in history.

Team Maverick.