Black smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday, signaling that no pope had been elected as 133 cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church.

The black smoke confirmed the 133 cardinal electors sequestered inside had not reached the required two-thirds majority — at least 89 votes — needed to elect a new pope.

The conclave to select the next pope has begun after Catholic cardinals from across the world filed into the Sistine Chapel Wednesday before sealing themselves inside.