VATICAN CITY - Black smoke came out of the Sistine Chapel’s chimney in Vatican on Thursday, May 8, indicating that the 133-member conclave, after two official votes, has yet to secure at least a two-thirds majority to elect the successor to the late Pope Francis. 

Since the highly secretive gathering began its closed-door procedure on Wednesday, the conclave– composed of 133 cardinal electors– has procured two voting results that both resulted in black smoke. 

The first black smoke, or fumata nera, was seen emanating from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on early Thursday morning (around 3 a.m., PH time), before a second one was released late in the afternoon (5:50 p.m., PH time). 

CONCLAVE: THE PROCESS
There are 133 cardinals, all aged under 80, participating in the ongoing conclave– a spiritual gathering held inside the Sistine Chapel that centers on a voting process through which the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church is decided. 

A Holy Mass, presided by the Dean of the College of Cardinals who urged his peers to vote for a pontiff capable of leading the Catholic Church amidst “a difficult and complex” point in history, was held right before the commencement of the conclave on May 7.

The conclave officially began after the Sistine Chapel shut its doors with the words “Extra omnes,” or “Everyone out,’ locking away the 133 cardinal electors in complete isolation as they undergo a secret balloting process.

Each of the 133 cardinal electors is then asked to cast their vote by writing their chosen name on their individual ballot papers.

After every vote is completed and tallied, the ballot papers are burnt with chemicals before allowing the smoke from its combustion to pour out of the ‘Great Chapel’s’ chimney. A black smoke (fumata nera) means no pope just yet (therefore the voting process continues); a white one (fumata bianca) means a new pontiff is set to be declared. 

A new pope shall be declared as soon as a name garners at least two-thirds of the majority, which amounts to at least 89 of the conclave’s 133 cardinal electors.

According to a Reuters report (with details from GMA Integrated News’ Mariel Celine Serquiña), the cardinals will “keep on voting up to four times a day until someone wins a two-thirds majority.”

After a new pontiff is declared, he will be ushered alone into a small chamber inside the Sistine Chapel called the Room of Tears where he will formally begin his papacy by wearing the papal vestments.

Soon after, the new pope is set to proceed the iconic balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square, where he will greet and be greeted by the patient crowds in attendance.

As seen on the livestream of the Papal Conclave via GMA Integrated News' special coverage, thousands of Catholic faithful have since flocked to St. Peter’s Square as the world patiently awaits the declaration of the new pope– a momentous juncture for the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church. 

(with reports from Reuters; Mariel Celine Serquiña/LDF of GMA Integrated News)