Wait for it. Honestly, that’s what thousands of people are doing right now in St. Peter’s Square, necks craned toward a tiny, unassuming copper chimney. It looks like something you’d see on a cabin in the woods, not the roof of the Sistine Chapel. But when that pope chosen white smoke finally pours out, the world stops.
It’s a bit wild when you think about it. We live in an era of instant push notifications and 5G, yet the leader of 1.4 billion people is announced via a chemical reaction that would’ve made sense in the Middle Ages.
Actually, the "white smoke" thing isn't as ancient as you’d think. Sure, they’ve been burning ballots since the 1400s, but the specific "white for yes, black for no" system only became the official standard around 1914. Before that? People just kind of guessed based on how much smoke there was. If there was a lot of smoke, it meant they were burning the ballots of a failed vote. If there was no smoke, it meant they had a winner. You can imagine the chaos that caused.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Smoke
Most people think the smoke is just the ballots burning. That’s a myth. Or well, it's half-true. If you just burned paper, the smoke would be a pathetic, wispy grey that nobody in the square could see. To get that thick, billowing "Habemus Papam" signal, the Vatican has to get a little bit... scientific.
Since the 2005 conclave, they’ve used a two-stove system. One stove is for the actual paper ballots—the ones where the cardinals write their choice in disguised handwriting. The second stove is an auxiliary unit that holds pyrotechnic cartridges. These are the "smoke bombs" of the Holy See.
👉 See also: Otay Ranch Fire Update: What Really Happened with the Border 2 Fire
The Chemistry of the "Habemus Papam"
To get the pope chosen white smoke, they use a very specific cocktail of chemicals. It’s not just "magic." It’s chemistry:
- Potassium Chlorate: This acts as the oxidizer. It’s the stuff that makes things go poof.
- Lactose: Yes, milk sugar. It burns fast and serves as the fuel.
- Pine Rosin: This is the secret sauce. Also called "Greek pitch," it’s what gives the smoke that heavy, brilliant white texture. It’s basically an artificial cloud.
Compare that to the black smoke (fumata nera), which uses potassium perchlorate, anthracene (found in coal tar), and sulfur. If you see black, the cardinals are still arguing. If you see white, someone just got the 77 votes needed for a two-thirds majority.
Why the Vatican is Secretive About the Stove
You won't find the stove specs on a Home Depot website. It’s a custom-made cast-iron beauty. During the 1958 conclave, the smoke was so confusingly grey that half the crowd started cheering while the other half looked confused. The Vatican hates that kind of PR nightmare.
Nowadays, they don't take chances. They actually pre-heat the chimney with electric coils. Why? Because if the chimney is cold, the smoke might cool down, lose its buoyancy, and just linger in the chapel, choking a bunch of 80-year-old men. Nobody wants that. They also have a fan system to make sure the plume is forced upward with enough velocity to be seen from the back of the square.
✨ Don't miss: The Faces Leopard Eating Meme: Why People Still Love Watching Regret in Real Time
The 2013 Glitch and the Future
Remember when Pope Francis was elected in 2013? The smoke was undeniably white, but for a split second, it looked a bit dark. That’s because the cartridges are ignited manually. There’s a cardinal or a technician in the room who has to hit a switch at the exact moment the ballots are tossed into the other stove.
Technically, the rules for the conclave are laid out in the Universi Dominici Gregis. It’s a dense document, but it basically says the secrecy is absolute. If a cardinal tweets or leaks the result before the smoke, they’re looking at immediate excommunication. The smoke is the only "authorized" leak.
How to Watch the Smoke Like a Pro
If you’re tracking a conclave, timing is everything. Usually, they vote twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon.
- Morning Votes: If no one is elected on the first ballot, they vote again immediately. The smoke only comes after the second vote, usually around 11:30 AM or Noon.
- Afternoon Votes: Same deal. If you see smoke at 5:30 PM, it’s usually because they failed twice.
- The "White" Moment: If a pope is chosen on the first ballot of a session, the white smoke will appear earlier—around 10:30 AM or 5:30 PM—because they don't need a second round.
What Happens After the Smoke?
Once that pope chosen white smoke clears, the bells of St. Peter’s start ringing. This was a "new" addition by Pope Benedict XVI because, frankly, the smoke is still hard to read sometimes. The bells provide the confirmation.
🔗 Read more: Whos Winning The Election Rn Polls: The January 2026 Reality Check
Inside, the winner is asked: "Acceptasne electionem de te canonice factam in Summum Pontificem?" (Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?)
If they say "Accepto," they are immediately the Pope. They don't need an inauguration or a crown. They just need to say yes. Then they head to the "Room of Tears" to put on their white cassock (which comes in small, medium, and large because the tailors have to guess the winner’s size).
Actionable Next Steps
If you're following the news for a papal transition:
- Check the Chimney Live: Most major news outlets run a "Chimney Cam" 24/7 during a conclave. Don't rely on Twitter; the delay is real.
- Listen for the Bells: If you see smoke and the bells don't ring within 5 minutes, it might be a false alarm or a "grey" smoke situation.
- Watch the Protodeacon: The smoke is just the signal. The actual name isn't revealed until the Senior Cardinal Deacon steps onto the balcony and says the name in Latin. Brush up on your Latin names (e.g., Georgium Marium is Jorge Mario).
The smoke is a weird, beautiful mix of 21st-century pyrotechnics and ancient ritual. It’s one of the few things left in the world that can’t be rushed by an algorithm.