By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A plume of black smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel signaled that the 133 cardinals gathered for the conclave have still to muster the two thirds majority required to appoint the next pontiff.
After the formal procession to the Sistine Chapel and each of the cardinals swearing the oath to secrecy, the first voting round only got under way at about 5.45pm local time. Then all eyes were on the famous chimney, which was diligently guarded by a seagull for some of the time the cardinals were voting.
After a tense wait, black smoke finally appeared at 9:05pm – to loud applause from the crowd of more than 45,000 below.
The conclave will continue on Thursday, and end only when a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month aged 88, is found.
St Peter’s Square was packed even though the pope was not expected to be elected on the first day.
The day began with a mass in St Peter’s Basilica. The service presided over by Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old Cardinal Dean who was also the celebrant of Pope Francis’ funeral.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics will have to continue waiting, with no hints about the future leader.