A first round of voting at the start of the conclave did not produce the required majority for a new pope.

After a failed ballot and a first night in isolation from the rest of the world, around 130 cardinals in the conclave are continuing their search for a new pope today. Since early Wednesday evening, the cardinals under 80 who are eligible to vote have been in the conclave. This means they are among themselves – until the election of a new leader of 1.4 billion Catholics.

Up to four rounds of voting are scheduled for today. Smoke signals are expected in the morning, or around midday, and in the evening—if it takes that long.

The public only learns about what happens during the ballots in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel through smoke signals. In the evening, black smoke rose for the first time from a specially installed chimney on the roof—signaling a ballot without the required majority.

According to the Vatican, on Wednesday evening 45,000 people in St. Peter's Square - with a view of the roof of the Sistine Chapel - watched in fascination to see what color the first smoke signal from the conclave would be.

The signal didn't come until a good three hours after the chapel doors closed. Until then, those waiting expressed their impatience with chorused applause. Laughter erupted as an airplane trailed white vapor across the sky behind the chimney.

Many expect a new pope to be elected this week: Since the 1960s, all conclaves have ended after two or three days. However, the late Pope Francis appointed so many new cardinals, some from distant countries, that many of the electors don't really know each other yet. The conclave is larger and more international than ever before.

Eligible cardinals from all over the world must be younger than 80 years old. A two-thirds majority—89 votes—is required for the election of the 267th pontiff in two millennia of Church history.

Three German cardinals are also voting. The former prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Gerhard Ludwig Müller, told the German Press Agency that he had his suitcase packed for "five or six days." "You have to be prepared," said the 77-year-old. "But of course everyone hopes it won't take that long. Everyone wants to go home." Also eligible to vote from Germany are Cardinals Reinhard Marx (71) from Munich and Rainer Maria Woelki (68) from Cologne.

The church leaders are accommodated in the Vatican's guesthouse complex, the Casa Santa Marta, where they are also isolated from the outside world. They must surrender their cell phones, smartphones, and all other digital devices. They also spend the final hours in the guesthouse before the ceremonial entry into the Sistine Chapel—one of the most beautiful polling stations in the world. Beneath Michelangelo's ceiling paintings, they were forced to swear an oath to God that they would observe the ban on contact and secrecy.

When a new pope is elected, the proverbial white smoke rises above the Sistine Chapel. A little later, the proclamation "Habemus Papam" (We have a Pope) is made from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. Then the new head of the church appears to the public, who also learns his chosen papal name.

Before the conclave, the lists of possible successors to Francis grew longer by the day. In addition to Pietro Parolin, two other Italians are considered candidates: the Archbishop of Bologna, Matteo Zuppi (69), and the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa (60). Also in the candidate carousel are the Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle (67), the Frenchman Jean-Marc-Aveline (66), the Portuguese José Tolentino de Mendonça (59), the Hungarian Peter Erdö (72), the Luxembourger Jean-Claude Hollerich (66) – and several more.

According to Catholic doctrine, the Pope is the successor of the Apostle Peter and the vicar of Jesus Christ on earth. He is also the Bishop of Rome, Primate of Italy, and Head of State of the Vatican. He does not have any great temporal power.