It’s election day — e-day – at the Vatican! The 115 cardinal-electors will enter the Conclave in the Sistine Chapel at 4:30 pm Rome time/1130 am Toronto time where — if they choose to — they will hold their first round of voting for pope. I say, “if they choose to” because they do have the option of putting off the first vote until Wednesday morning. Some here think it’s a possibility though an unlikely one.
Assuming there is a vote — and there will be only one round balloting today — the smoke signals announcing the result will likely waft to the heavens at about 8 pm Rome time/3 pm Eastern. Now, that’s the expectation for the timing of the first smoke signal but there is no hard-and-fast schedule. I will be on “smoke watch” here in Rome from about 5:30 pm (Rome time) onwards. Continue reading 77 votes to become pope: Scola, Scherer, Ouellet leading the pack?
