Posted March 12, 2013

The announced conclave schedule appears below with times listed for Rome, with Eastern Daylight Time in parentheses:

March 12

3:45 p.m. (10:45 a.m.) — Transfer from the Domus Sanctae Marthae to the Apostolic Palace.
4:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m.) — Procession from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel.
4:45 p.m. (11:45 a.m.) — Oaths, meditation by Cardinal Prosper Grech, first ballot, if they choose to vote.
7:15 p.m. (2:15 p.m.) — Vespers in the Sistine Chapel.
7:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m.) — Transfer to the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
8 p.m. (3 p.m.) — Dinner.

March 13-15 or until election of a pope:

6:30-7:30 a.m. (1:30-2:30 a.m.) — Breakfast.
7:45 a.m. (2:45 a.m.) — Transfer to the Pauline Chapel.
8:15 a.m.-9:15 a.m. (3:15 a.m.-4:15 a.m.) — Mass in the Pauline Chapel.
9:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m.) — Prayer and two rounds of voting.
12:30 p.m. (7:30 a.m.) — Transfer to the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
1 p.m. (8 a.m.) — Lunch.
4 p.m. (11 a.m.) — Transfer to the Apostolic Palace.
4:50 p.m. (11:50 a.m.) — Two more rounds of voting.
7:15 p.m. (2:15 p.m.) — Vespers in the Sistine Chapel.
7:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m.) — Transfer to the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
8 p.m. (3 p.m.) — Dinner.

On March 16, if the cardinals have still not elected a pope they will take a break. The break could just be for a half day and they could resume later in the day, or they may possibly take the whole day off and resume voting March 17.

For those specifically watching smoke from Sistine Chapel chimney:

When the balloting is unsuccessful — no candidate reaches the two-thirds (77) votes needed for election — two votes are taken in the morning and two are taken in the afternoon. The two morning or two afternoon ballots are burned together, so there are only two smoke signals a day.

The first smoke signal can be expected about 7 p.m. (2 p.m.) March 12, after the first vote, if the cardinals choose to vote.

Beginning March 13, smoke would be expected at about noon (7 a.m.) and again about 7 p.m. (2 p.m.)

However, if a pope is elected on the first ballot of the morning, the white smoke would billow forth between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. (5:30-6 a.m.) If he is elected on the first ballot of the afternoon, the white smoke would be seen between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. (12:30-1 p.m).

After a white smoke signal, it takes about 40-45 minutes before the name of the winner is announced from the papal balcony.

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