Cardinals began the papal conclave at the Vatican's Sistine Chapel to select a new pope after the death of Pope Francis. What does black smoke mean?

The 133 cardinals tasked with electing the next leader of the Catholic Church had their first vote on Wednesday.

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.