VATICAN-CARDINALS-POPE-CONCLAVE

VATICAN-CARDINALS-POPE-CONCLAVE

Faithfuls wait under rain for the smoke announcing the result on the second day of the papal election conclave on March 13, 2013 at St Peter’s square at the Vatican. In a rain-swept St Peter’s Square, tens of thousands of people were hoping today to see the puff of smoke that would signal that cardinals meeting inside the chapel had reached a decision on who should be the next pope. Despite two puffs of black smoke in as many days, signalling that the 115 cardinals in the secret conclave had yet to choose a successor to Benedict XVI, many in the crowd were optimistic. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE