A crowd gathers during the conclave in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican March 12. Despite the rain, thousands of people filled the square on the first evening of the conclave to witness the black smoke that signaled the Catholic Church’s 115 cardinal electors had failed, as expected, to elect a pope on the first ballot. (CNS photo/Alessandro Bianchi, Reuters) (March 12, 2013) See CONCLAVE-BEGIN (UPDATED) March 12, 2013.