The cardinals have gathered in Vatican City to choose the 267th pope. St Peter, regarded as the first pope, was elected around 30AD. In the morning, cardinals will take part in a mass in St Peter’s Basilica. Later, in the afternoon, the cardinals will walk in a procession along the Via delle Fondamenta to the Sistine Chapel.

In a tradition that scholars date to the 19th century, smoke released from a chimney will be colored white if the cardinals have made a decision, or black if they remain deadlocked.