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Holy smoke…update

U.S. Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley hoists a book of prayers as he celebrates Mass in his titular church of Santa Maria alla Vittoria in Rome, Sunday, March 10, 2013. Cardinals from around the world gather this week in a conclave to elect a new pope following the stunning resignation of Benedict XVI. In the secretive world of the Vatican, there is no way to know who is in the running, and history has yielded plenty of surprises. Yet several names have come up time repeatedly as strong contenders for the job. O'Malley, the archbishop of Boston, is among those considered to have a credible shot at the papacy. (Domenico Stinellis / Associated Press)
Catherine Johnston
U.S. Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley hoists a book of prayers as he celebrates Mass in his titular church of Santa Maria alla Vittoria in Rome, Sunday, March 10, 2013. Cardinals from around the world gather this week in a conclave to elect a new pope following the stunning resignation of Benedict XVI. In the secretive world of the Vatican, there is no way to know who is in the running, and history has yielded plenty of surprises. Yet several names have come up time repeatedly as strong contenders for the job. O'Malley, the archbishop of Boston, is among those considered to have a credible shot at the papacy. (Domenico Stinellis / Associated Press)
U.S. Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley hoists a book of prayers as he celebrates Mass in his titular church of Santa Maria alla Vittoria in Rome, Sunday, March 10, 2013. Cardinals from around the world gather this week in a conclave to elect a new pope following the stunning resignation of Benedict XVI. In the secretive world of the Vatican, there is no way to know who is in the running, and history has yielded plenty of surprises. Yet several names have come up time repeatedly as strong contenders for the job. O'Malley, the archbishop of Boston, is among those considered to have a credible shot at the papacy. (Domenico Stinellis / Associated Press)

Today begins the conclave of Cardinals to elect a new pope. Who do you think will wear the white garment and stand at the window?

While the rest of the world tweets, emails, texts and blogs, the men in red sequester themselves without electronics; instead they pray, reflect and vote – just as they did 400 years ago.

An American? The guy from Milan? The hockey-playing Canadian? The man from Ghana?  Latin America? Who is your favorite?

We wait and look to the sky for an answer.

UPDATE: CARDINALS IN CONCLAVE: BLACK SMOKE AT 7:42PM

Vatican City, 12 March 2013 (VIS) – This evening at 7:42pm, black smoke rose from the chimney installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel signalling that the Cardinal electors have not elected a new Pope in the first ballot of the Conclave.

(S-R photo: U.S. Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley of Boston)

* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "EndNotes." Read all stories from this blog