The College of Cardinals began meeting Wednesday to vote in a papal conclave -- a secret ballot where two-thirds majority is required for the election of a new pontiff. After each round of submissions,

Following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, cardinals are meeting in the Sistine Chapel to elect his successor. DW has the latest.

Thick black smoke emerged Wednesday from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in a sign that cardinals had failed to elect a new head of the Catholic Church in their first conclave vote. Tens of thousands of people gathered in St Peter’s Square to await the smoke,