Pope’s Successor: Watch the Smoke Signals and the Conclave Live
A Historic Day in the Catholic Church
Today marks a pivotal moment for the Catholic Church as the College of Cardinals, chosen by Pope Francis himself, gathers in the Sistine Chapel to elect his successor. All eyes are on this historic conclave, where the fate of the papacy will be decided.
Behind the Closed Doors of the Sistine Chapel
Before the voting begins, each cardinal takes a solemn oath of secrecy, and the Sistine Chapel’s doors are sealed, effectively cutting them off from the outside world. This ensures the sanctity and confidentiality of the process. Cardinals cast their votes by secret ballot, offer a prayer, and then deposit their ballots into a large chalice. The conclave continues until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority vote, signifying their election as the new pope.
Witnessing History: The Smoke Signals
Since the cardinals are confined during the conclave, black and white smoke billowing from the Sistine Chapel chimney serve as visible signals to the world. Black smoke indicates that no candidate has yet reached the required two-thirds majority, and voting will continue. Conversely, white smoke signifies that a candidate has won the necessary votes, and the world will soon welcome their new leader.
How to Watch the Livestream
USA TODAY will provide live coverage of the first day of the conclave, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 7. You can watch the livestream at the top of this story, or on the USA TODAY YouTube channel.
