The 133 Roman Catholic cardinals from 70 countries involved in the ballot for a successor to the late Pope Francis are due to hold two votes today, in what is the largest and most geographically diverse conclave in the Church’s history.
Two rounds of voting are expected in the morning session and two in the afternoon. This process will continue daily until one cardinal secures a two-thirds majority—at least 89 votes—to be declared the next pope.
The cardinals, locked in solemn isolation within the Sistine Chapel, resumed deliberations today amid heavy ritual and secrecy that define the centuries-old papal conclave. Reuters reports that voting began at around 9 a.m. (0700 GMT), as per the Vatican’s schedule.
A puff of white smoke emerging from the Sistine Chapel chimney will signify that a new pope has been elected to succeed Francis, who passed away last month. If a decisive vote occurs during the morning session, the world could learn the identity of the new pontiff as early as 11 a.m. (0900 GMT). If no consensus is reached, further voting rounds and smoke signals will follow later in the day.
Historically, popes are rarely elected on the first ballot. Wednesday’s black smoke was widely anticipated, indicating no decision was reached. Still, given recent conclave trends, a final result could emerge by the second day. Pope Francis was elected in 2013 after five voting rounds spread over two days, while Pope Benedict XVI was chosen in 2005 after only four rounds across two days.
No clear front-runner has emerged. However, Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, former Vatican Secretary of State under Pope Francis, and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle are considered leading contenders. Should neither gain sufficient support, votes may shift toward other “papabili”—a term for potential popes in Italian—such as France’s Jean-Marc Aveline, Hungary’s Péter Erdő, American Robert Prevost, and Italian Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa.
During the conclave, cardinals are completely cut off from the outside world. They surrender all electronic devices and reside at the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse, shuttled under tight security to and from the Sistine Chapel for each voting session.
As the Church prepares for a new era, the cardinals’ choice will reflect not just doctrine but the direction of global Catholicism. While some electors hope for continuity with Francis’ reformist and inclusive papacy, others are calling for a return to traditional values and stricter orthodoxy. Many seek a pontiff who embodies balance—firm in faith, yet measured in leadership.
Whoever emerges as the next Bishop of Rome will inherit the spiritual leadership of over 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide and the daunting task of unifying a deeply polarized Church.
