Featured Image Credit: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Topics: Pope Francis, News
Britt Jones
A new pope has now officially been chosen, but thanks to an apparent blunder during the papal conclave, the world received a confusing false alarm about the election of a new pontiff hours earlier.
White smoke has now appeared from the Sistine chapel, confirming a successor to the late Pope Francis, who died aged 88 last month.
The Catholic Church shared a statement confirming Francis' death and at the time, Cardinal Kevin Farrell of the Vatican released a touching tribute.
He said: "At 7.35 this morning, the bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his church."
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Farrell added: "He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised."
From then on, Catholics entered a nine-day period of official mourning, and then the process to choose a new pope began.
Choosing a new pope is a very secretive thing but we do know that smoke plays a very important part.
The papal conclave is the official process to choose a new pope, and this sees the College of Cardinals gather in Rome to hand in their vote.
Last night's first round of voting began but ended with black smoke being seen rising from the chimney, something which indicates that no pope has been confirmed.
If the Chapel releases black smoke (fumata nera in Italian), it means that there has been an inconclusive vote among the cardinals.
Black smoke was seen again at 10.52am this morning, which means that the second round of voting also did not lead to any official agreement between the cardinals.
However, what confused people is that white smoke was seen shortly before noon, with black smoke showing again shortly beforehand.
As white smoke (fumata bianca) means that a new pope has been elected, nobody was quite sure how to take the significance of the white smoke.
This once happened during the 1958 conclave, when white smoke initially showed before black smoke appeared and two days later, cardinals settled on Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, who served as Pope John XXIII.
The cardinals have been holed up while they make this huge decision, without entertainment, distraction or luxuries.
As spectators from across the globe have been finding out about the highly complex ins and outs that come with the process of deciding on a new pontiff, they also found out what they aren’t allowed to eat.
The Vatican nuns serve meals supplied to the College of Cardinals during a conclave, with the likes of meat skewers, pasta, potatoes, fish and boiled vegetables being commonly consumed menu items, while whole poultries and closed foods (pies and quiches) are said to be banned, as per the BBC.