After a first black smoke that lasted and kept 30,000 faithful in St. Peter's Square in suspense, the cardinals meet again this Thursday to vote. Their eminences gathered at 8:00 at the Apostolic Palace to celebrate Mass and pray Lauds in the Pauline Chapel; then, at 9:15, they moved to the Sistine Chapel to recite the 'Midday Prayer' and proceed to vote.
The cardinals can vote up to four times today if no candidate achieves the two-thirds of the votes (89) necessary to elect the successor of Francis. Two smoke signals are planned: one after the morning votes around 10:30 and noon; and another after the evening votes, at 17:30 and 19:00. However, if the new Pope is elected in the first of the two morning or afternoon votes, the white smoke will be released.
Yesterday, the 133 electors from 70 countries were completely isolated behind the walls of the Vatican and strong cybersecurity measures to prevent communications and leaks. The day began at 10:00 with the final Pro Elegendo Romano Pontifice Mass at St. Peter's Basilica, where Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals who officiated the funerals of Francis and Benedict XVI, urged the electors to choose "the Pope that the Church and humanity need in this difficult, complex, and tormented turn of history."
After lunch, the cardinals sang the 'Veni Creator Spiritus' to invoke the Holy Spirit who will guide them when writing a name on the ballot. Then came the group oath of the College of Cardinals: "We pledge and swear to faithfully and scrupulously observe all the prescriptions contained in the Apostolic Constitution of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II."
Subsequently, the thousands of faithful already gathered in St. Peter's Square could watch on giant screens the individual oath of each of the 133 cardinals: "And I, Cardinal N., promise, commit, and swear." And placing their hand on the Gospels: "So help me God and these Holy Gospels that I touch with my hand."
At 17:43, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, pronounced the famous 'Extra Omnes' (everyone out) and the doors of the temple decorated by Michelangelo closed to the faithful 'cum clave', under lock and key.
Today's day is crucial, Italian media suggest that the white smoke could appear in one of the afternoon or morning votes, barring a surprise. This conclave has been characterized by its unpredictability, there is no clear favorite, but several. From first to even second line. And their names have been circulating for days before the votes. With 133 electors coming from all over the world, many did not know each other, but they had twelve congregations (meetings) before their seclusion to share their different visions about the future of the Church.
Among the list of multiple 'papabili', something that will complicate uniting the vote around a candidate, one name has stood out above all: Pietro Parolin, president of the conclave with a moderate continuity profile of the opening legacy initiated by Francis that conservatives would accept.