Watch: The first day of the conclave in a minute

The first vote of the conclave – the secretive process to choose a new pope – has failed to reach a decision.

After a lengthy wait, black smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney at around 9pm local time – meaning the 133 cardinals inside have not been able to choose a new pontiff.

Crowds gathered in their tens of thousands in St Peter’s Square for the first vote of conclave – the results of which took more than two hours to announce.

Cardinals will return on Thursday morning to a closed-door Sistine Chapel for more rounds of voting.

The BBC’s Laura Gozzi was in Vatican City alongside the waiting crowds.

Filmed by John Johnson