Black smoke billowed once more from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday morning, signalling that the College of Cardinals remains deadlocked in its effort to elect a new pope.
This marked the second such signal, following the first appearance of black smoke on Wednesday evening, shortly after the 133 cardinals officially began their sacred duty of selecting a successor to Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday.
With no consensus yet reached, the announcement of the 267th pope in the nearly two-millennia-long history of the Catholic Church could still be days away. Although there is widespread anticipation that a decision might be made before the end of the week, the conclave remains shrouded in secrecy, and the precise timing of an outcome is unknown.
In the meantime, the eyes of the world remain fixed on the chimney perched atop the Sistine Chapel in the Apostolic Palace, watching and waiting for the appearance of white smoke—an ancient signal that a new pontiff has been chosen.
