Source: ABC News
“One hundred thirty three cardinals will gather again on Thursday under the vaulted ceilings of the Sistine Chapel, which are decorated with Michelangelo’s frescoes, including ‘The Creation of Adam,’ where they’ll cast their second set of ballots to make one among them the next leader of the Catholic Church’s more than 1 billion members worldwide. A successful candidate to replace Pope Francis, who died April 21, will require a two-thirds majority of the voting cardinals. The first ballot on Wednesday failed, resulting in a plume of black smoke — fumata nera in Italian — from the chapel’s chimney. White smoke — fumata bianca — will signify that a new pope has been elected, as will the ringing of the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica.” (05/08/25)