As Pope Francis battles pneumonia in both lungs and remains in hospital, the future of the Vatican has grown uncertain. The most recent update from the Vatican said this morning that Francis was ‘resting’ and that last night ‘went well’ after the pope has been in critical condition over the weekend.
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 different stages in this super-secret election process.
But what does each colour of the Sistine Chapel’s smoke signal indicate? Here’s everything you need to know about the colour-changing smoke of the most famous church in the world.
What is the smoke of the Sistine Chapel made from?
The smoke comes partly from the burning of ballot papers in a special stove in the chapel. These papers will have been used in the election process of a new pope, where cardinals lock themselves in the chapel in the secretive voting process.
But to colour the smoke, it is mixed with other smoke from chemical additives which are burnt in a second stove. In past tradition, the Vatican produced the different colours by burning wet straw for white and tarry pitch for black.
However, burning tarry such as coal or tar can have health consequences for those who breathe it in, including increased cancer risk. The BBC explains that to create black smoke, The Vatican now uses a mixture of potassium perchlorate, anthracene and sulphur.
It explains that the white smoke comes from “potassium chlorate, lactose and the conifer resin called rosin, which is often rubbed on violin bows to increase friction”.
But the Vatican didn’t change their burning materials for health or environmental reasons. They moved to chemical smoke dyes after the 2005 election for a new pope saw an ambiguous grey smoke seep from the chapel, meaning no one could tell whether the smoke was black or white.
But what do each of these colours signify in the election?
What does black smoke from the Sistine Chapel signify?
Spectators watching from the Vatican Square will wait for the election results, which are announced via the Vatican’s smoke signals. The smoke is black if no pope has been elected and the cardinals have failed to reach a decision.
What does white smoke from the Sistine Chapel signify?
When a decision has been made on who is to become the next pope, the Vatican will signal the news with white smoke from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney.
Whether Francis makes a full recovery or not, we will see the famous smoke signals from the chapel when it is time for a new cardinal take leadership of the Vatican.