Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at age 88 after complications from a stroke and heart failure. Cardinals under 80 will vote in a closed conclave at the Sistine Chapel to elect the next pope. Black ...

Black smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday and again Thursday morning indicated that a new pope had not yet been chosen to replace Pope Francis. Using smoke to communicate to the ...

A chemical mixture is added to the cardinals' ballots to signal conclave vote. March 13, 2013— -- The world waited with bated breath for the election of a new pope, with all eyes fixed on the ...

Crowds cheer in St. Peter's Square as white smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on May 8, 2025, indicating the election of a new pope. (CNS photo/Pablo Esparza) A few ...

This week, 133 cardinals have gathered in the Vatican to elect a new leader of the Catholic Church. During their deliberations, the only indications of their progress are the regular plumes of smoke ...