Catholic priest at the conclave

Cardinals have resumed voting in the Vatican City to choose a new pope after the passing of Pope Francis on April 21. On Wednesday, May 7, black smoke from the Sistine Chapel signaled that no decision had been made, and the same occurred on Thursday, May 8, after subsequent rounds. Voting occurs up to four times daily, but smoke is typically seen only twice, as ballots from two rounds are often burned together. A two-thirds majority is needed to elect the 267th pope, with 133 cardinal electors participating, including Robert Sirico, an Italian-American priest and brother of the late actor Tony Sirico.

Tony Sirico, known for playing Paulie ‘Walnuts’ Gualtieri in The Sopranos, led a tumultuous life before his acting career, including multiple arrests and prison time. After his release, he pursued acting, appearing in films like Goodfellas and The Godfather. Tony passed away in 2022 at 79 after battling dementia. Robert Sirico, who became a priest in 1989, shared that he performed a final confession for his brother before his death, expressing both sadness and pride in his statement.