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The initial announcement that a new pope has been chosen will come from a puff of white smoke resulting from a secretive ceremony involving a cast iron stove, seen on the right on March 8 inside the Sistine Chapel. OSSERVATORE ROMANO/AFP/Getty images
After each vote, the ballots and any accompanying notes will be burned in the stove, a process designed to keep the conclave free of outside influence. OSSERVATORE ROMANO/AFP/Getty images
If no one has won, a chemical is added to make the smoke black. The election of a new pope is signaled by white smoke. PIERPAOLO CITO/AFP/Getty Images
The chimney that will emit the smoke was installed by members of the Vatican Fire Brigade on March 9. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
On the first day of the conclave, one voting session will be held: on other days the cardinals will vote twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon. If a second ballot must be taken immediately, the first bundle of ballots and any private notes are burned with the second. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
The installed chimney as it appeared on top of the Sistine chapel on March 12. JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images
The last conclave was in 2005, when Benedict's XIV was announced as pope. Here photographers watch the chimney for smoke- black for failure and white for success on April 18, 2005. VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/GettyImages
In 2005, crowds of people gathered in front of a giant screen showing the Sistine Chapel chimney. PAOLO COCCO/AFP/Getty Images
Black smoke rises from the roof of the Sistine Chapel signifying the cardinals' indecision on April 18, 2005, at the Vatican City. PAOLO COCCO/AFP/Getty Images
A French flag is waved in front of St. Peter's as white smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel to announce the election of a new pope after a conclave lasting little more than 24 hours, on April 19, 2005. MARCO LONGARI/AFP/Getty Images
Nuns wait for the announcement of the name of the new pope after white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel signaling a pope had been elected during the second day of the conclave on April 19, 2005.
The stove (L), where the ballots to elect a new pontiff will be burned in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. Picture taken on April 16, 2005. PIERPAOLO CITO/AFP/Getty Images
A blank voting ballot at the 2005 conclave. ARTURO MARI/AFP/Getty Images
The stove in the Vatican as it appeared on June 16,1963. Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Two Vatican guards stand by the stove in which Catholic cardinals will burn their voting slips after electing a new Pope, Vatican City, 24 October 1958. Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
White smoke emanates from the Sistine Chapel chimney to indicate the election of a new pope in 1963. Keystone/Getty Images
