Pink smoke signals call for gender equality at the Vatican
Members of a Catholic women's group ignited pink smoke flares on a hill behind the Vatican to protest the exclusion of women from the conclave and gender inequality in the Catholic Church.
What you need to know
- Women's protest: Members of a Catholic women's group ignited pink smoke flares on a hill behind the Vatican, protesting against the marginalisation of women in the Catholic Church.
- Election of the Pope: Elector cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel to begin choosing a new pope, which sparked protests due to the lack of women's participation.
On Wednesday, when elector cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel to start the process of papal selection according to the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, members of a Catholic women's group gathered in a park on a hill overlooking the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. They are demanding ordination for women.
Pink smoke over Rome
As a sign of protest against the marginalisation of women in the Catholic Church and an all-male assembly, feminist activists ignited pink flares. Pink smoke rose over the basilica's dome, symbolising the exclusion of women from the conclave.
- We are saying to the cardinals, you cannot keep ignoring 50 percent of the Catholic population, you cannot go into a locked room and discuss the future of the Church without half of the Church, declared Miriam Duignan from the Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research, quoted by France24.
- Whoever they elect needs to be brave enough to properly tackle the question of women's inclusion, because so far it has not been, even by Pope Francis - emphasised Duignan in conversation with the media.
She added that "the only women that those 133 men will see in the next few days will be nuns who are cleaning their rooms and serving them food and tidying up after them".
The activists have a list of potential female papal candidates, including former Irish President Mary McAleese.
The conclave continues
Among the potential papal candidates is Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who, though not an obvious choice, has significant diplomatic experience. Another key player is Mario Grech, who supports Francis's line and is known for his dialogue skills.
The election of a new pope is a decision about who will lead the Church and its direction. Is the Church ready for an Asian pope like Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith? This question remains open, with the eyes of the world on the Vatican.
The first vote took place on Wednesday evening, but—as indicated by the black smoke—it did not reach a resolution. On Thursday, black smoke appeared just before 7 AM GMT.
