Tension and intrigue on the second day of the conclave, after the black smoke

RomeBlack. This has been the color of the smoke that at 9:00 p.m., almost two hours behind schedule, has emerged from the chimney installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, a few meters from the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. A long-awaited smoke that certifies that the first vote of the conclave that will elect Francis's successor The meeting ended without an agreement among the cardinals called to designate the future leader of 1.4 billion Catholics. No candidate obtained the 89 votes needed to sit on the chair of St. Peter. With 30,000 pilgrims, tourists, and curious onlookers who gathered since early afternoon in a sealed-off Piazza Sant'Pere (not just physically, since the Vatican has deactivated mobile phone networks throughout the country), the black smoke was no surprise. Subsequent ballots are usually conclusive. John Paul II needed eight votes. His successor, Benedict XVI, was elected in 2005 on the second day, in the fourth ballot.

On the eve of the start of the assembly, some cardinals were already indicating that it would not be a brief conclave, as they had barely had time to get to know each other during the ten meetings they have held since the death of Pope Francis, on the more traditional, moderate April 21. According to the specialized press, the division extends even among cardinals from the same country. Asian BergoglioThe problem is that the support of those most in favor of continuing the path pioneered by the Argentine pontiff could end up divided among several candidates, which could tip the balance in favor of the opposing camp. A hypothesis that could dynamite the chances of Pietro Parolin, Francis's deputy, who heads the list of papal candidates.

Analysts believe that if after two smoke-outs none of the main candidates manages to garner a considerable amount of support, the chances of the chosen one being a third, an alternative candidate, probably outside the lists published these days, capable of breaking the deadlock will increase. In a conclave as uncertain as the one that has just begun, surprises cannot be ruled out.

This Thursday, the cardinals will once again lock themselves in the Sistine Chapel to continue voting. This Wednesday they voted only once, but starting in the following days they will be able to vote up to a maximum of four times, twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon. If they fail to reach an agreement on any of these occasions, the vote will be suspended for a full day so the cardinals can pause for reflection. But this hasn't happened recently, and it would be a very bad sign.

The historic day began with all the cardinals present in Rome – not just the electors – gathered in St. Peter's Basilica to celebrate Mass. for choosing Roman Pontiff With this homily, the cardinals invoked the help of the Holy Spirit in the election of the next Pope. The homily, presided over by the dean of the College of Cardinals, the Italian Giovanni Battista Re, also served to outline the profile of the future leader of Catholics, "the pope that the Church and humanity need in this difficult and complex moment." Before the 133 cardinals, "who are preparing for an act of maximum human and ecclesial responsibility," the dean of the cardinals recalled that "the world today expects much from the Church for the protection of these fundamental human and spiritual values, without which human coexistence will not be better nor bring good to the.

After the mass, the cardinals returned to the residence of Santa Marta, where they will remain completely isolated from the outside world for the duration of the conclave. After lunch and a short break, the cardinals marched in procession from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel singing the Veni creator, the hymn with which they invoked the Holy Spirit. Once inside, one by one, they took a solemn oath of confidentiality in Latin, with which they committed themselves to maintaining a sepulchral silence about everything that happens, even after the successor to Francis is elected. Otherwise, they will be automatically excommunicated.

At 5:44 p.m. this Wednesday, the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, the Italian priest Diego Giovanni Ravelli, pronounced theExtra omnes! [Everyone out!] of course. And the doors of the Sistine Chapel have closed to officially begin the conclave, which will not end until white smoke appears from the chimney of St. Peter's Basilica and the protodeacon, the Frenchman Dominique Mamberti, announces: "Habemus papam!"