Cardinals' Conclave: Awaiting the White Smoke Signal

The Catholic Church's conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis continues as rounds of voting remain inconclusive, prolonging the wait for a new pope. Cardinals reconvene for further ballots, while the world anxiously watches for the signal of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel, indicating a decision has been made.

The conclave of the Catholic Church remains deadlocked as cardinals met Thursday morning with no definitive choice for a successor to Pope Francis. Black smoke signals, following inconclusive voting, billowed from the Sistine Chapel, signaling the stalemate.

As 133 cardinals paused for lunch before reconvening for afternoon voting, hopes remained that the next rounds might yield results. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, unable to vote due to age, expressed optimism about the election of a pope that meets both the church's and the world's expectations.

Despite repeated attempts, the process of selecting the 267th pope continues. Historically, conclave voting extends over multiple rounds, with current proceedings highlighting the intense deliberations as the eyes of the Catholic community and beyond remain fixed on the Vatican.

(With inputs from agencies.)