Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Shades of grey
As of this morning, there is no new Pope. Two votes, one at 8:00 p.m. Rome time last night, another at noon Rome time today, have resulted in black smoke issuing from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel. Confusion reigned both times, however, as initially the smoke appeared white. Today's noon vote was even accompanied by the noontime chimes on the Basilica clock, thereby causing the waiting crowd to think that, as stipulated by John Paul II, bells were ringing along with the apparently white smoke. This could take hours more, or days more, there's absolutely no way to tell. We have to be patient, which is annoying ;)
