Black smoke emerged from the chimney over the Sistine Chapel at 21:00 on Wednesday evening, signalling that a first ballot has been held at the conclave and has concluded without the election of a Pope.
Around 45,000 people had gathered in St Peter’s Square to await the announcement, which had been expected some time after 7pm. In the end, they had to wait until 9.
Among those in the square was Deacon Nicholas Nkoronko from Tanzania. Speaking to Vatican News, he said: “Our role here is to pray and to join with other Christians, other Catholics, to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide the whole process.”
“Wherever the new Pope comes from”, Deacon Nkoronko stressed, “whether it’s Africa, Asia, America, what we need is we need a holy Pope. We need a Pope who will guide the Church and will be the pastor of the Church.”
