Black smoke, again

Black smoke appeared from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel just before 12:00, indicating that no new pope was elected in the second round of voting either, reports Reuters.

The first vote was held last night, and when the new head is voted in, white smoke will appear from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

The Cardinals will vote a total of four times today - twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon, and two times the smoke should come out.

The first smoke was expected to be released around 10:30 a.m., but it did not happen. It is possible, as stated by the media, that the voting that was supposed to start at 9:30 is delayed.

Black smoke appeared last night, emphasizing that after the first vote no new pope was elected, and when the new head is voted in, white smoke will appear from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

Tanjug/AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia

The conclave for the election of the 267th head of the Roman Catholic Church began on Wednesday, and 133 cardinals are participating in the election.

The previous two conclaves, in 2005 and 2013, lasted only two days each.

Pope Francis was elected at the conclave in 2013 after two days of voting. He died on April 21 at the age of 89 and was buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

White smoke is a signal that a new church leader has been elected

A two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, is required for the election of the pope. When white smoke appears from the chimney, it is a signal that a new church leader has been elected.

A record 133 cardinals from 70 countries are participating in the secret ballot, compared to 115 from 48 countries at the last conclave held in 2013. This growth is a reflection of the late Pope Francis' efforts to expand the Church's reach during his 12-year pontificate.

There are no clear front-runners for the new pope, although Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle are considered the frontrunners. Parolin served as secretary of state, the second-highest position in the Vatican, for almost the entire pontificate of Pope Francis.

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His role and moderate views on many social issues indicate that, if elected pope, he will continue the policies of his predecessor. At the same time, sources claim that he was able to reconcile different factions within the Church.

The favorite for the new pope from Asia, Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is a charismatic moderate who is often called the "Francis of Asia." The 67-year-old Tagle, who shares with Francisco a history of advocacy for the poor, migrants and other marginalized groups, is known for his missionary spirit and pastoral focus.