ReligionVatican
Pope signal: How does the Vatican chimney smoke ritual work?
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Wade Adams
May 7, 2025Advertisement
It's the smoke signal that Catholics worldwide wait for, anxiously anticipating the announcement of a new pope. The Vatican uses black smoke to signal no decision and white smoke when a new pope is elected.
But how do cardinals at the Vatican control the color of the smoke? Learn from a pyrotechnic expert who helped develop the process.