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NO POPE YET AS BLACK SMOKE APPEARS AT SISTINE CHAPEL CHIMNEY IN VATICAN
The 133 cardinals making up this conclave are now back inside the Sistine Chapel after stepping away for a lunch break following this morning’s ballots.
They could vote twice more this afternoon – once at 17:30 local time (16:30 BST) and if no consensus is reached, again at 19:00 (18:00 BST).
A new pope requires a two-thirds majority – which translates to 89 votes this conclave – and that can take time. The average length of time for the last few conclaves was three days – and seven ballots.
If no new pope is elected today, there will be up to four more ballots tomorrow.
Each cardinal casts his vote on a simple card that says, in Latin: “I elect as Supreme Pontiff” to which they add the name of their chosen candidate.
They walk in line, in order of seniority, and place their cards inside the large silver and gilded urn.
