Cardinals in the Vatican have fail to elect a new Pope as black smoke billowed out of the Sistine Chapel after today's secret ballot.
Onlookers around the world saw black smoke emerge from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney at 8pm on Wednesday.
The black smoke signifies that there will be more rounds of voting tomorrow after no decision was made.
The cardinals in the chapel have no communication with the outside world until the 267th pope is elected.
Cardinals in the Vatican have fail to elect a new Pope as black smoke billowed out of the Sistine Chapel after a secret ballot.
Reuters
Police estimated that 30,000 people were waiting in St Peter's Square for the results of the vote.
Black smoke means voting will commence again in the morning.
When the cardinals eventually elect a new Pope, white smoke will appear from the Sistine Chapel.
The secret conclave to choose a new pontiff will continue on Thursday after the first round of voting proved unsuccessful.
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Police estimated that 30,000 people were waiting in St Peter's Square for the results of the vote.
Reuters
There are 133 cardinals eligible to cast their first ballot.
The full conclave usually takes days, with no pope having been elected after the first voting round for the past few centuries.
The successful candidate will need to secure two-thirds of the votes, with cardinals unable to emerge from the Vatican to avoid outside influence.
The vote comes two weeks after the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88.
Nuns gathered at St. Peter's Square react as black smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel
Retuers
Vatican watchers predict that this conclave will be more unpredictable than ever, with Catholics questioning if the next pope will be more progressive or more conservative.
Pope Francis, who openly did not want to be elected to the role, was considered progressive, while Pope Benedict XVI was more conservative.
The cardinals could make history by electing the first African or Asian pontiff.
The role could also be handed back to an Italian, the first since John Paul I nearly 50 years ago.
