Four votes, two plumes of smoke per day during Conclave

Vatican City, Apr 13, 2005 / 22:00 pm

The cardinals gathered in the Conclave will vote twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon, but the burning of the ballots, which will send either white or black smoke into the air above the Sistine Chapel, will only take place twice each day.

Vatican sources announced that, with the exception of Monday, April 18, when the cardinals will vote only once, the 115 cardinal electors will cast four votes per day: at 11am, and 12:30pm, and at 6pm and 7:30pm.  However, the burning of the ballots will only take place twice per day: once at 12:30pm and again at 7:30pm.

If the election of the Pope takes place during the first voting either in the morning or in the afternoon, the ballots will be burned with the chemical for producing white smoke immediately after the election.

In order to avoid confusion, the bells of St. Peter’s will also be rung upon election of the Pontiff.  The churches in Rome will all join then in the ringing of bells.