Cardinals who failed to elect a new pope in their first vote of a historic papal conclave prepared for two more tries Tuesday morning in a secret and sacred quest to choose a new leader for the Roman Catholic Church.
Black smoke that initially looked light enough to throw even Vatican Radio analysts off-guard poured from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel on Monday evening, disappointing a crowd of 40,000 pilgrims packing St. Peter's Square for a sign that the 115 voting cardinals from six continents had settled on a successor to Pope John Paul II.
White smoke and the pealing of bells shortly afterward eventually will tell the world that the church's 265th pontiff has been chosen to succeed John Paul, who died April 2 at age 84.
"We thought it was white. Then it went black. I had a feeling of exhilaration followed by disappointment," said Harold Reeves, a 35-year-old theology student from Washington, D.C.
The crimson-robed cardinals, from six continents representing 52 countries, celebrated Mass in the chapel of their high-security Vatican hotel Tuesday morning. Afterward they again sequestered themselves inside the Sistine Chapel for the first of two rounds of morning voting.
Smoke black or white will be expected to confirm the outcome. If black smoke signals another inconclusive voting session, the cardinals will break for lunch and reconvene for two afternoon rounds, with a fresh round of smoke expected in the evening.
A quick decision Monday would have been a surprise. The cardinals have a staggering range of issues to juggle as they choose the first new pope of the 21st century fallout from priest sex-abuse scandals, chronic shortages of priests and nuns as well as calls for sharper activism against poverty and easing its ban on condoms to help combat AIDS.
The next pontiff also must maintain the global ministry of John Paul, who took 104 international trips in his more than 26-year papacy.
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