Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: No new date or venue has been set for the meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff, and no negotiations will take place until the outcome is guaranteed
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted

Cardinals continue voting in 2025 Papal Conclave to elect new Pope

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 8 May 2025 11:56
4 Min Read

Crowds gather in St. Peter's Square as 133 cardinals vote in the 2025 Papal Conclave to choose a successor to Pope Francis, with no name yet emerging.

Listen
  • x
  • A drone used for TV broadcast is attacked by a seagull above St. Peter's Square where 133 cardinals are gathering on the second day of the conclave to elect successor of late Pope Francis, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025 (AP)
    A drone used for a TV broadcast is attacked by a seagull above St. Peter's Square, where 133 cardinals are gathering on the second day of the conclave to elect the successor of late Pope Francis, at the Vatican, on May 8, 2025. (AP)

Crowds of Catholics and tourists filled St. Peter's Square on Thursday as they fixed their gaze on the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, waiting for the moment when white smoke would rise and signal the election of a new pope to succeed the late Pope Francis.

The wait continued from Wednesday evening, when black smoke signaled that the cardinals had yet to reach the required two-thirds majority.

Despite the disappointment, the mood among those gathered remained generally hopeful, as many saw the continued voting as a sign that the process was being taken seriously.

James Kleineck (37), from Texas expressed faith in the outcome to AFP by saying, “I don't mind that it's black smoke, it shows the Holy Spirit is at work, there will be other votes soon enough, we will get our pope.”

Others like Barbara Mason, a 50-year-old Canadian who traveled for the occasion, echoed a sense of appreciation for the time being taken, telling AFP that the process showed reflection and care, and she voiced support for a candidate like Matteo Maria Zuppi, believing he could be a worthy continuation of Pope Francis's progressive direction.

On Thursday morning, a thinner but steady crowd arrived early to secure spots for the day’s events. Among them was Paul O’Flynn, a 72-year-old Irishman visiting from New York, who described the atmosphere as deeply moving and unlike anything he had expected to witness in his lifetime.

Related News

Pope Leo XIV calls for press freedom, release of jailed journalists

White smoke rises: US Cardinal Prevost elected Pope Leo XIV - Vatican

Inside the Conclave: Cardinals seek divine guidance

The 133 cardinals participating in the conclave spent the night in the Santa Marta guesthouse, and on Thursday they began their day with private masses to seek divine guidance before heading into the second day of voting, which was expected to follow a structured schedule of four rounds: two in the morning and two more in the afternoon if needed.

Only after the second vote of each session does smoke rise from the chimney, with black indicating no result and white marking the election of a new pope, and as ballots are burned with chemical additives to ensure the smoke’s clarity, the signal becomes the only communication the outside world receives from the secretive proceedings.

Cardinals are bound by an oath of secrecy and remain locked in the Sistine Chapel until a new pope is chosen, and any violation of this oath is met with the penalty of excommunication, reinforcing the solemn nature of the process that has been shaped by centuries of tradition and internal rules.

While the last two conclaves in 2005 and 2013 concluded within two days, longer ones have occurred in history, including some in the 20th century that stretched to five days, and the longest on record lasted nearly three years between 1268 and 1271.

Challenges ahead for the next pope

The 2025 Papal Conclave brings together cardinals from around 70 countries, making it the largest and most international gathering of its kind, and many of those present had not met before.

With no clear front-runner emerging, speculation continues around more than a dozen potential candidates, and opinions among the electors remain divided between those wishing to continue the legacy of Pope Francis and others who favor a shift back toward more traditional interpretations of doctrine and leadership.

All voting cardinals are under the age of 80, and approximately 80 percent were appointed by Pope Francis, a pope known for his impulsive yet charismatic advocacy for the downtrodden.

As the voting continues, the world outside waits for the white smoke that will signal a new era of Catholic Church leadership, and while the identity of the 267th pope remains unknown, the weight of the moment is clear for both those inside the chapel and the 1.4 billion Catholics around the world looking toward what comes next.

  • Catholic Church
  • Papal conclave
  • St. Peter's Square
  • Pope Francis
  • Vatican

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS