*12:10 PM ET: We have white smoke! The College of Cardinals has elected a new pope.
We will find out soon who it is. After the cardinal accepts his election, he goes to the “Room of Tears.” It’s called that because so many have cried after receiving the enormous responsibility of leading the Catholic Church.
He will put on the white papal vestments.
Once everything gets settled and ready, the senior cardinal deacon will declare from the central balcony of St. Peter’s, “Habemus papam!” (We have a pope!).
The new pope will emerge and give us his first papal blessing.
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It’s day two of the conclave, where the College of Cardinals has been deciding on a new pope.
The 133 cardinals released the black smoke twice this morning, signaling they have not chosen a new pope yet.
A cardinal needs two-thirds of the majority to become the next pope.
The next two votes should happen at 11:30 AM ET (5:30 PM local time) and 1:00 PM ET (7:00 PM local time).
The conclave has averaged 2-3 days since Pope Saint Paul VI in 1963.
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