First vote cast at Vatican, No New Pope Selected

Today marked the first day of voting by 115 Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel in Italy. At today’s voting conclusion there was black smoke seen from the chimney signifying no pope has been selected today.

The Papal Conclave voting dates back to 1268 when the cardinals deliberated for two years without making a decision. The Vatican officials locked the cardinals behind closed doors with limited food and water to hasten their selection.

The first vote was cast today after each cardinal swore and a secrecy oath spoken in Latin. This will be followed by two votes every morning and two every afternoon until someone gets two-thirds of the votes. No conclave has lasted more than five days in the past century, with most finishing within two or three days. Secrecy is of the utmost importance. Vatican officials are said to have installed jamming devices to prevent the use of cellphones by cardinals or hidden microphones by anyone wanting to hear their deliberations.

There has been speculation of who might be selected to replace Benedict XVI, who abdicated on Feb. 28. There seem to be at least four front runners. They are Angelo Scola of Milan, Timothy Dolan of New York, Patrick O’Malley of Boston, and Marc Ouellet of Canada. The main concern by many Catholics is whoever is selected as the new pope will influence a lean towards conservative thinking or a more liberal relaxed approach to Roman Catholicism.