No new pope yet: Black smoke seen coming from Sistine Chapel chimney early Wednesday morning
Black smoke seen just before 4 a.m. PST
Black smoke at 12:40 MT signals the cardinals failed to elect a pope with their first vote.
Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 03/13/2013
Last Updated:
72 days ago
VATICAN CITY - Cardinals voting for the next pope did not reach a decision Wednesday in their third vote.
A great plume of black smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel chimney just before 4 a.m. PST
After the first three ballots yielded no winner, the 115 cardinals broke for lunch and will return for two more ballots in the afternoon. The results of those votes could come anytime after about 9 a.m. PST.
The drama -- with stage sets by Michelangelo and an outcome that is anyone's guess -- is playing out against the backdrop of the turmoil unleashed by Benedict XVI's surprise resignation and the exposure of deep divisions among cardinals. As a result, many analysts predict a long conclave.
Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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