A thick column of black smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday evening signaled the end of the first day of the papal conclave without a decision on a new pope.

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The smoke, visible to crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square, appeared around 9 p.m. local time, indicating that the cardinal electors had not yet achieved the two-thirds majority required to choose a successor to Pope Francis. A total of 133 cardinals are taking part in the secret ballot process.

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Earlier in the day, the cardinals began the solemn task of selecting the next pope following the “Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff” held at St. Peter’s Basilica. The liturgy, celebrated by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, marked the official start of the conclave.

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In the lead-up to the voting, 12 general congregations were held, during which the cardinals discussed a wide range of issues confronting the Catholic Church. These included the need for renewed evangelization efforts, addressing the decline in priestly vocations, tackling clergy sexual abuse, improving Vatican financial management, embracing synodality, and responding to ongoing global crises.

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The cardinals will reconvene in the coming days for additional rounds of voting until a new pope is chosen.

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