Cardinals fail to pick new pope on day one of the conclave

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🗞️ Driving the news: Cardinals participating in the conclave at the Vatican failed to elect a new pope on the first day of voting, signaled by black smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney
• With no clear frontrunner emerging, the 133 voting cardinals will reconvene Thursday for further ballots in their secretive and highly controlled selection process

🔭 The context: Historically, conclaves rarely produce a pope on the first day; both Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis were elected on the second day
• The current conclave reflects deep divisions within the Church, with factions pushing either to continue the reforms of Pope Francis or to pivot toward a more traditional papacy
• The ongoing global scrutiny over clerical abuse scandals adds urgency to calls for systemic reform

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The next pope will hold significant influence over 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, with potential implications for global stances on climate change, migration, human rights, and social justice — areas where Pope Francis was notably active
• The decision could either strengthen or recalibrate the Church’s engagement with modern sustainability and humanitarian challenges

⏭️ What's next: Cardinals will conduct up to four votes per day over the coming days, with informal discussions permitted only after several inconclusive rounds
• If no new pope is elected by Sunday, a pause for prayer and reflection will be introduced
• Observers anticipate a tense balance between those favoring a "unity" candidate offering predictability and those endorsing a "diversity" candidate aligned with Francis' global and reformist vision

💬 One quote: “We tried to manifest it, but we kind of knew it wouldn’t be tonight,” — Carla Peat, 19, a pilgrim from Scotland awaiting the outcome at St. Peter’s Square

📈 One stat: There are 133 cardinals eligible to vote in this conclave, representing a Church of approximately 1.4 billion members across the globe

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