First Conclave Smoke to Appear Wednesday Evening from Sistine Chapel

Vatican City: The first smoke signal from the papal conclave is expected to emerge from the Sistine Chapel around 7 p.m. on Wednesday, as announced by Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni on Tuesday. The cardinal electors are scheduled to enter the chapel at approximately 4:30 p.m., where they will participate in a catechesis led by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa. This will be followed by the swearing of the oath of office and the initial vote to determine Pope Francis’s successor.

According to Ansa News Agency, the conclave will conduct four votes daily, with two smoke signals indicating the progress of the election until a new pontiff is chosen. On Thursday, the first smoke signal is anticipated around noon unless the morning vote results in the election of a new pope. In such a case, white smoke would be visible from the chimney at approximately 10:30 a.m.

Similarly, the second smoke signal of the day is expected around 7:00 p.m. unless the afternoon’s first vote proves decisive, which would result in the emission of white smoke around 5:30 p.m.