Thick black smoke emerged Wednesday from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in a sign that cardinals had failed to elect a new head of the Catholic Church in their first conclave vote. Tens of thousands of people gathered in St Peter’s Square to await the smoke,

The conclave to select the next pope has begun after Catholic cardinals from across the world filed into the Sistine Chapel Wednesday before sealing themselves inside.

The 133 cardinals tasked with electing the next leader of the Catholic Church had their first vote on Wednesday.