Dean of the College of Cardinals expresses desire to see white smoke today, indicating the election of a new pope

The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, expressed his hope that a white smoke would be visible this afternoon, indicating that the 133 cardinal electors locked in the Sistine Chapel have elected a new pope.

"I hope that when I return to Rome this afternoon I will find the white smoke already "I am particularly happy to be here at the beginning of the conclave so that the Holy Spirit may blow strongly and so that the pope that the Church and the world need today may be elected," Re said from Pompeii. , in southern Italy, where he went for a religious event.

The first two smokes were black, indicating that the cardinals were unable to elect a new pope after the two votes held on Thursday morning in the Sistine Chapel and Wednesday at the start of the conclave.

Another smoke is expected this afternoon around 7:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. GMT), although if the cardinals agree on the first count, the white smoke could emerge from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel around 5:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. GMT).

According to Vatican regulations, two-thirds of the votes are required to be elected pope. Since there are 133 cardinal electors, the chosen one needs at least 89 votes.

The new pope "will first and foremost have to try to strengthen faith in God in this world of ours, characterized by technological progress, but on a spiritual level, we have noticed a certain forgetfulness of God, so an awakening is necessary," the cardinal added, recalling some passages from his homily during this Wednesday's Mass prior to the conclave.

As Dean of the College of Cardinals, Re has taken care of some of the preparations for the conclave and the general congregations of the cardinals, as well as officiating at the funeral of Pope Francis and the 'pro eligendo pontifice' mass prior to the conclave.

But being over 80 years old, he was unable to enter the Sistine Chapel, and his place at the helm of the conclave was taken by the Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, the first of the cardinal bishops and one of the main favorites to become the new pontiff.