People watch a screen in St .Peter's Square showing cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel, on the first day of the conclave to elect the next pope, at the Vatican, May 7, 2025.

Vatican workers have installed a stove in the Sistine Chapel to burn ballots during the conclave to elect a new pope, set to begin Wednesday (May 7). The installation is part of preparations for ...

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Black smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday, signaling that no pope had been elected as 133 cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual to ...

As the papal conclave is set to begin to elect a new pope, the eyes of the world are on the Sistine Chapel, which will hold the Catholic cardinals as they cast their votes for the next leader of ...

Vatican seagull awaits papal conclave's decision A seagull was spotted several times on the roof of the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, near the chimney where smoke will let onlookers know if a new ...

Black smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday, signalling that no pope had been elected as 133 cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual to choose a new leader of ...

As the papal conclave is set to begin to elect a new pope, the eyes of the world are on the Sistine Chapel, which will hold the Catholic cardinals as they cast their votes for the next leader of ...

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Black smoke is pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating no pope was elected on the first ballot of the conclave to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church.

A new papal election — known as the conclave — is set to begin following Pope Francis' death. The method the Catholic Church uses to elect its leader has stayed almost the same for 800 years.

Times have changed since then. The Sistine Chapel serves as the seat of the papal conclave since 1878 and has become a popular site for tourists, welcoming millions of visitors every year.