If the current pope were to pass away, another would be elected by the Vatican's cardinals to take his place. And either white or black smoke signals from the Sistine Chapel are used to signify ...

If the current pope were to pass away, another would be elected by the Vatican's cardinals to take his place. And either white or black smoke signals from the Sistine Chapel are used to signify ...

The process involves several key steps before white smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel, signaling the election of a new pontiff. When a pope dies, the Vatican enters the interregnum period -- the ...

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis ... “I was at (St Peter’s) Square when he was elected, and I saw the white smoke,” she told AFP, referring to the sign that tells Catholics they have a new ...

VATICAN CITY, Holy See - Pope Francis ... "I was at (St Peter's) Square when he was elected, and I saw the white smoke," she told AFP, referring to the sign that tells Catholics they have a new pope. ...

As Pope Francis, who is 88 years old, continues to battle health issues, the question of what will happen next for the ...

Vatican City (AFP ... "I was at (St Peter's) Square when he was elected, and I saw the white smoke," she told AFP, referring to the sign that tells Catholics they have a new pope.

That said, the Associated Press reported over the weekend that the pontiff was in critical condition, and on Monday morning, the Vatican ... Black smoke for no, white smoke for yes.

THE Vatican has issued a major health update on ... Black smoke means the vote is still being deliberated, and when white smoke appears it means a decision has been reached.

Image White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel after the College of Cardinals elected Francis as pope in 2013.Credit...Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Inside the Vatican, the dean of the college ...

Vatican stands at a crossroads ... Historically, this process unfolds over 15 to 20 tense days, as black or white smoke signals from the chapel roof inform the world of the Church’s most ...