Cardinals attend the first day of the conclave to elect the successor of late Pope Francis inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP)

No new pope elected yet after black smoke pours out of Sistine Chapel’s chimney

By The Associated Press May 8, 2025 | 5:02 AM

Black smoke is again pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney.

That indicates no pope was elected on second or third ballots of the conclave to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church.

The smoke billowed out at 11:50 a.m. on Thursday after the morning voting session to elect a successor to Pope Francis to lead the 1.4 billion-member church.

No one has secured the necessary two-thirds majority or 89 votes.

That means the 133 cardinals will return to the Vatican residences where they are being sequestered.

They will have lunch and then return to the Sistine Chapel for the afternoon voting session. Two more votes are possible Thursday.