Vatican Conclave: The Famous Ravens That Awaited the New Pope Announcement

On Wednesday, May 7th, the first secret vote of the 133 cardinals did not yield a new pope. This news was conveyed to the world through the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. At 22:00 local time, black smoke emerged, signaling no decision had been made yet. This image was broadcast live around the globe. Among the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square, awaiting the outcome of the conclave’s first vote, a family of ravens perched near the chapel’s chimney as if they too were waiting for the cardinals’ message. Calm amidst the bustling crowd, one raven grew increasingly popular as the hours passed without any results from the smoke signal. Soon after eight o’clock, it gained an on-camera companion—a second bird and a fledgling. These images quickly went viral worldwide. It should be noted that the first vote of the cardinals in the conclave concluded shortly after 22:00 (Greek time) with black smoke emerging from the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating there is still no new pope.