Black Smoke and Delay on the First Day of the Conclave

Black smoke and about two hours behind schedule. There was no doubt about the negative outcome of the first vote of the conclave from which the next Bishop of Rome will be elected following the death of Pope Francis on April 21. At 9:00 PM, black smoke began to emerge from the chimney installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, where the 133 cardinals under 80 years old, and therefore eligible to vote, participated in the first scrutiny without any candidate reaching the 89 ballots required for a quorum. Four new scrutinies will be held this Thursday, two in the morning and two in the afternoon, from which the 267th Pope in the history of the Catholic Church could emerge.

Around 50,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, and millions of faithful followed through the media to see if smoke would emerge from the chimney, had to wait for more than two hours beyond the scheduled time to know if there was a new Pope. The delay was probably due to three reasons. First, before voting, the cardinals listened to a sermon by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, the emeritus preacher of the Pontifical Household, who, being over 80, did not participate in the scrutiny. Cantalamessa's sermon lasted about 45 minutes. Another reason for the delay is that this conclave is the largest in history, with 133 electors, 18 more than in the 2013 vote that elected Bergoglio. Finally, the fact that for 80% of the participants it was their first conclave and they were unfamiliar with the voting mechanics may have contributed to the delay.

The cardinals arrived at the Sistine Chapel around 4 PM after walking or taking a bus from the Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where they will remain isolated from the world until a new Pope is elected. They first gathered in the Pauline Chapel, adjacent to the Sistine Chapel and also decorated with Michelangelo's frescoes, where they participated in a moment of prayer before proceeding in procession while reciting the litany of the saints to the Sistine Chapel. There, in front of Michelangelo's impressive image of the Judging God, each of them took an oath to comply with the conclave's rules. Once this procedure was completed, all non-elector cardinals left the chapel until the master of pontifical ceremonies, Monsignor Diego Ravelli, closed the doors, loudly proclaiming the traditional phrase 'extra omnes' (everyone out).

In the morning, the cardinals participated in the 'pro eligendo pontifice' mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, presided over by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Italian Giovanni Battista Re. At 91 years old and with over four decades of experience in the Roman Curia, Re was a figure highly respected by Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who renewed his position as dean shortly before his hospitalization on February 14. After officiating the funeral of the Argentine Pontiff on April 26, the veteran cardinal outlined on Wednesday how his successor should be during the homily he delivered at the 'pro eligendo pontifice' mass.

Re first emphasized that the task ahead for the 133 cardinals under 80 years old, and therefore eligible to vote, goes beyond the borders of the Catholic Church, as "humanity" also needs a Pope who can respond to the "difficult and complex moment in history." He urged them to have "maximum human and ecclesial responsibility" in making such an "important decision." It is a "human act in which any personal consideration must be abandoned." The Dean of the College of Cardinals then outlined the main task the new Bishop of Rome should keep in mind: "communion," meaning the concern for ensuring ecclesial unity and avoiding internal fractures. Bergoglio was sometimes criticized in this area for the difficulties some of the faithful had in accepting some of his more controversial decisions, such as blessings for homosexual couples or opening communion to divorced and remarried individuals. "Communion of all Christians with Christ; communion of bishops with the Pope; communion among bishops," Re emphasized, quoting Francis by saying that "unity does not mean uniformity."

The veteran Italian cardinal concluded his homily with two significant appeals. First, he said that the election of the new Pope "is not a simple succession of people," as it is about finding the "returning Apostle Peter." He then expressed his hope that the next Bishop of Rome "will awaken the consciences of all and the moral and spiritual forces in today's society, characterized by great technological progress but tending to forget God." The world today, he finally said, expects "much from the Church for the protection of those fundamental, human, and spiritual values, without which human coexistence will not be better nor bring good for future generations."