***2ND UPDATE: A second vote early Wednesday morning resulted in more black smoke. Reports say the Cardinals will break for lunch and that there will be a third round of balloting late this afternoon or tonight.
***UPDATE: At 7:43pm Vatican time, black smoke poured from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signifying a vote was taken but no Pope has yet been chosen by a two-thirds majority. Reportedly, this will also be the last vote of the day. The Cardinals are scheduled to reconvene tomorrow.
It would be out of the ordinary for a Pope chosen on the first vote. So the only news is normalcy.
Today, after taking the Oath of Secrecy, the conference of Cardinals closed the heavy wooden doors of the Sistine Chapel to embark on the Conclave that will choose Pope Benedict’s successor; the new Holy Father who will lead a Church with nearly 1.5 billion members.
Courtesy of CBS News, you can watch the Vatican’s live Smoke-Cam below. It is from that chimney that we will learn the results of each vote. Of the 115 Cardinals voting, two-thirds (77) must agree before a Pope is chosen.
White smoke means we have a two-thirds majority and a new Pope.
Black smoke means the Cardinals will have to go back and try again.
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