FILE – White smoke is seen billowing out from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and announcing that a new pope has been elected on Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File) ...

White smoke began pouring from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Thursday, signaling the College of Cardinals has chosen a successor to Pope Francis. And now the world waits to learn who he is.

Black and white smoke is used to represent the cardinals' decisions each day, as they are sequestered and cannot share this news directly. If one candidate doesn't receive the necessary two-thirds ...

Conclave smoke: What black and white smoke signal during election of a new pope In the past, a papal conclave has been held 15-20 days after a vacancy.

After some confusion in past conclaves, including in 1958, when smoke first appeared white and then became darker, the conclave began using chemicals to get the proper color.. In 2013, former ...

From ‘conclave’ to ‘white smoke,’ a glossary of terms used in a papal transition These are the need-to-know terms — some of them in Latin — to help make sense of news in the coming days.