Greetings, parish orphans and retrogrades.

Conclave Day is here. It's Wednesday, May the 7th.

Year of our Lord 802025. We've awaited this day for longer than just two weeks.

Who will be Pope number 267 in the Roman Catholic Church?

This morning, as reported by my friend Diane Montenia,

we had the Mass for the election of a Pope pro-Elegendo Pontefiche in St. Peter's Basilica,

where the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Batista Ray, reminded the Cardinal electors of Pope John Paul II's,

quote, hope that during the hours of voting on this weighty decision,

Michelangelo's looming image of Jesus, the judge,

would remind everyone of the greatness of the responsibility of placing the supreme keys

into correct hands.

End quote.

The Cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel this afternoon in Rome at approximately 4.30 p.m. Rome time.

So they did not lock themselves away until only two and a quarter hours ago,

not quite two and a half hours ago.

There will only be one scrutiny today.

That is only one vote today.

Smoke will be expected around 7.15 p.m. local time.

I have a man on the street for that decision, our first verdict from the first scrutiny.

Don't expect this to be a two-thirds vote in favor of any one candidate who will become Pope.

That's never happened in modern history that the first scrutiny yielded a Pope.

My man on the street is Mr. George Farmer himself.

...