As the sun sank behind St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday evening without smoke emerging from the the Sistine Chapel chimney, some in the crowd began to wonder why the first vote of the conclave was taking so long.
Speculation included a malfunctioning stove and a medical emergency. Some thought disagreements between cardinals may have delayed the vote. The reality was probably rather more prosaic: voting is thought to have started late, and the record number of cardinal electors – 133 and including many new faces – meant it took a long time.
