A ballot has been held on the first day of the papal conclave but not yielded a new pope. 

Black smoke was seen billowing from the chimney over the Sistine Chapel at 21:00 local time, indicating that the vote had not reached the required two thirds majority. 

There will be more rounds of voting tomorrow and every day until a new pope is elected. At that time, the smoke from the chimney will be white.

Both Pope Francis and his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI were elected after two days. 

Before the conclave commenced earlier on Wednesday, the 133 cardinal electors took oaths of secrecy around the vote. 

The elected pope must secure the votes of at least 89 cardinals in this conclave. Among those casting their votes are the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols.

Although a vote was cast today, it was not expected that it would result in the announcement of a new pope as the process of reaching a two-thirds majority normally takes several days.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the Mass where he asked people to pray for the Holy Spirit’s “light and strength so that the Pope elected may be he whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult, complex, and troubled turning point in history”.

Tens of thousands of people gathered outside in St Peter’s Square on day one of the conclave but the cardinals – who are all under the age of 80 – are not allowed any communication with the outside world until a new pope has been elected. 

https://www.christiantoday.com/news/black-smoke-ends-first-day-of-papal-conclave