Here's how the conclave creates black and white smoke and why the Catholic Church began using them to signal whether a new ...

VATICAN CITY (AP) — A change in popes — through death or resignation — is a complicated process, with centuries-old rituals ...

No cameras will be allowed inside the church during the vote, so the result will remain secret until white smoke emerges from ...

At the end of each voting round, black smoke means a new pope has not yet to be selected, while white smoke indicates a new ...

The result is a mixture of steam and white or light gray smoke that contrasts sharply with the dark, carbon-rich black smoke. Over the years, the papal conclave smoke signal has evolved from an ...

Rather than soot, the smoke contains microscopic droplets and fine solids that are transparent or white. The result is a ...

After two days of contemplation and balloting, a new Pope has been elected. White smoke emanating from the Sistine Chapel ...

For white smoke, a compound of the chemicals potassium chlorate, lactose, and rosin (also known as Greek pitch) is used, ...

Papal conclave ballots have been burned to maintain secrecy for centuries. Ballot smoke has been used to announce a decision ...

For much of the past century, the conclave has needed between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I—the pope who ...

The 2025 papal conclave is underway. Who will be the new pope when the white smoke settles? Who is the odds-on favorite? Are ...

This selection comes after two days of conclave in the Sistine Chapel, tying the modern record for the fastest selection of a ...