Towards the Conclave, the stove turns 86

This year it turns 86 years of honoured service, always present at Conclaves since 1939. It is the cast-iron stove that from 7 May next will once again mark the key steps in the election of the new Pontiff. If the eyes of the whole world will be on the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, it will be the turn of the stove to burn the ballots used by the cardinals for voting.

The smoke that all the faithful are waiting for, however, will not come from his oven but from a younger 'sister'. It is an appliance from 2005 that will be used to burn the smoke that is supposed to give the black colour in case of non-election and the white one when choosing the pope Francis' successor. Both stoves have already been placed inside the Chapel and the second one connected to the outside with the support of a pipe and joint truss and electronically activated. The substance that initiates the black smoke is composed of a mix of substances including potassium perchlorate, anthracene and sulphur; while the one that gives the white colour consists of potassium chlorate, lactose and rosin.

The history of the smoke is full of anecdotes because in the past the colour was not always evident, at least at the beginning of the smoke. So it was decided, now since Ratzinger's election in 2005, to accompany the white smoke with the distant ringing of bells. In this way the message coming from the Sistine Chapel, that there is a new Pope, will be unequivocal. Nothing, however, is left to chance. In the event of a problem with the stove inside the Conclave, there will be a technician from the Infrastructure and Services Sector of the Governorate who will remain in a small room near the Sistine Chapel for the duration of the voting. With a remote control of the stove, he will be ready to intervene promptly in case of need, so that no unforeseen event can hinder the celebrated and awaited white smoke.