Black smoke rose once again from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday morning, signaling that the cardinals meeting in conclave have yet to agree on a new pope.
This marks the second time black smoke has appeared, following an earlier signal on Wednesday evening, shortly after the 133 cardinals began the process of selecting a successor to Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday.
The announcement of the 267th pope in the nearly 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church might still take some time. While many expect a decision by the end of the week, the timing remained uncertain.
Until then, the world would continue to watch the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel in the Apostolic Palace, awaiting the white smoke that will signal a new pontiff has been chosen.
