The first all-important smoke signal of the conclave came unusually late, set against a rapidly darkening sky over the Vatican yesterday. It followed a sermon given ahead of the conclave which appeared to indirectly offer some criticism of Pope Francis's legacy and thereby suggest what needs to come next when the cardinal-electors cast their votes.
Cardinals enclosed in the Sistine Chapel to elect the new pope cast their first ballot early evening on Wednesday, 7 May, while a massive crowd gathered outside of St. Peter’s Basilica to watch for that first smoke signal from the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis and the Catholic Church's 267th pope.
