2 h. ago Conclave live: Catholic cardinals gather for second day to elect new pope

Up to four rounds of voting expected with history suggesting white smoke might be seen todayExplainer: how does the conclave work?Leading candidates to be the next pope If you want to see the latest scenes from the Vatican, there is now a live stream showing St Peter’s Square and the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel pinned at the top of this page.What makes today slightly more tricky to follow is that while we have four rounds of voting, we may not get smoke after every one of them. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago Watch live view of Vatican chimney as conclave begins to elect new pope

Watch a live view of Vatican chimney on Thursday (8 May) as the conclave continue another round of discussions after failing to select the next pope on the first day of voting.

Politics

13 h. ago Major Pope decision update as smoke signal sent by Cardinals from Sistine Chapel

A total of 133 cardinals began the conclave - the election to elect the successor to Pope Francis - earlier today, with the first round of results showing if a new pontiff has been chosen.

Events

13 h. ago Conclave live: Results of the first vote to elect new leader of Catholic Church FINALLY revealed after voting entered its fifth hour

MAILONLINE BLOG: Follow live coverage as Catholic cardinals elect the next Pope in the highly secretive conclave to lead the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis last month.

Politics

14 h. ago Conclave live: Results of the first vote to elect new leader of Catholic Church REVEALED with cardinals locked inside Sistine Chapel

MAILONLINE BLOG: Follow live coverage as Catholic cardinals elect the next Pope in the highly secretive conclave to lead the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis last month.

Politics

14 h. ago Conclave to elect new pope begins with prayer – and oaths of secrecy

After a day of ceremony and centuries-old ritual, the 133 cardinal electors have begun voting on who should succeed Pope Francis as head of the Catholic Church

Politics

15 h. ago Black smoke emerges at Vatican as conclave fails to elect pope – live

Cardinals will be back for more votes tomorrow with up to four rounds of votingWho will be the next pope? Potential candidatesPapal in-tray: new pontiff will have to hit ground runningHow does the conclave work?If you’d rather get up to date on the pomp and the politics of the conclave, the process to elect Pope Francis’s successor, good news: we’ve got you covered.It is, as Guardian journalist Harriet Sherwood explains, an election rich in ceremony and ritual. Yet it can get very dirty too: cardinals lobbying in corridors and Vatican gardens; allegations of leaks to the media to discredit rivals; even the emergence of a video of one cardinal – a bookies’ favourite to be the next pope – singing ‘atheist anthem’ Imagine by John Lennon. Continue reading...

Events

15 h. ago Black smoke signals Vatican conclave has failed to elect new pope on first day

Cardinals begin locked-in selection process amid throng of pilgrims and peaceful protest for women’s rights in churchExplainer: how does the conclave work?Plumes of black smoke have emerged from the chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel, signalling that the 133 cardinals sealed off inside have failed to elect a new pope on the first day of conclave.After the formal procession to the Sistine Chapel and each of the cardinals swearing the oath to secrecy, the first voting round only got under way at about 5.45pm local time. Then all eyes were on the famous chimney, which was diligently guarded by a seagull for some of the time the cardinals were voting. Continue reading...

Events

15 h. ago Smoke signal sent by Cardinals from Sistine Chapel in major Pope decision update

A total of 133 cardinals began the conclave - the election to elect the successor to Pope Francis - earlier today, with the first round of results showing if a new pontiff has been chosen

Events

16 h. ago World awaits chimney smoke as conclave starts to elect new pope – live

Doors to the Sistine Chapel have been closed and first vote expected to be taken today Who will be the next pope? Potential candidatesPapal in-tray: new pontiff will have to hit ground runningHow does the conclave work?If you’d rather get up to date on the pomp and the politics of the conclave, the process to elect Pope Francis’s successor, good news: we’ve got you covered.It is, as Guardian journalist Harriet Sherwood explains, an election rich in ceremony and ritual. Yet it can get very dirty too: cardinals lobbying in corridors and Vatican gardens; allegations of leaks to the media to discredit rivals; even the emergence of a video of one cardinal – a bookies’ favourite to be the next pope – singing ‘atheist anthem’ Imagine by John Lennon. Continue reading...

Events

17 h. ago Conclave live: Who will be the next Pope? First vote to elect new leader of Catholic Church underway with cardinals locked inside Sistine Chapel

MAILONLINE BLOG: Follow live coverage as Catholic cardinals elect the next Pope in the highly secretive conclave to lead the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis last month.

Politics

17 h. ago Conclave begins as locking of Sistine Chapel signals formal start to process to elect new pope – live

Doors to the Sistine Chapel have been closed and first vote expected to be taken today Who will be the next pope? Potential candidatesPapal in-tray: new pontiff will have to hit ground runningHow does the conclave work?If you’d rather get up to date on the pomp and the politics of the conclave, the process to elect Pope Francis’s successor, good news: we’ve got you covered.It is, as Guardian journalist Harriet Sherwood explains, an election rich in ceremony and ritual. Yet it can get very dirty too: cardinals lobbying in corridors and Vatican gardens; allegations of leaks to the media to discredit rivals; even the emergence of a video of one cardinal – a bookies’ favourite to be the next pope – singing ‘atheist anthem’ Imagine by John Lennon. Continue reading...

Politics

18 h. ago All eyes on Sistine Chapel for smoke as secret conclave begins to elect new pope

White smoke will confirm a new pontiff to lead the world’s Catholics has been chosen.

Events

18 h. ago Conclave live: Who will be the next Pope? First vote to elect new leader of Catholic Church to take place today

MAILONLINE BLOG: Follow live coverage as Catholic cardinals elect the next Pope in the highly secretive conclave to lead the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis last month.

Politics

18 h. ago AP PHOTOS: Day 1 of the conclave at the Vatican to pick the next pope

Catholic cardinals from around the world gathered in the Vatican on Wednesday for the start of the conclave, the centuries-old secret voting ritual to elect a new pope to follow Pope Francis, who died April 21. The 133 cardinals are taking part in the most geographically diverse conclave in the faith’s 2,000-year history. Their cellphones are surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican are jammed to prevent all communications until they find a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member church.

Culture

19 h. ago UK cardinal’s final reflections before entering conclave to elect new pope

Cardinal Vincent Nichols is one of more than 130 electors

Sport

21 h. ago Watch cardinals celebrate final Mass ahead of conclave to elect new pope

Cardinals and other members of the clergy have celebrated a mass at St Peter’s Basilica ahead of the conclave.

Culture

30 h. ago Bitterly divided cardinals retreat for conclave to elect new pope

Vote among 133 cardinals is ‘a referendum’ on papacy of Francis, who split the church with liberal reforms

Politics

60 h. ago Cardinals come together before the conclave: Senior members of the church start arriving at in Rome as they prepare to elect new Pope

The eyes of 1.4 billion Catholics are fixed on the Vatican City today as 132 cardinals started arriving in Rome as they prepare to elect a new Pope.

Politics

61 h. ago Vatican to cut phone signal during conclave to elect new pope

Transmission will be deactivated from 3pm on 7 May and restored after announcement of new pontiffThe Vatican has announced that it will cut the phone signal within the tiny city state during the conclave to elect a new pope – but this would not affect St Peter’s Square.The office of the presidency of the Governorate of the Vatican City State said that “all the transmission systems of the telecommunications signal for mobile telephones present in the territory of the Vatican City State will be deactivated” from 3pm on 7 May. Continue reading...

Politics