The faithful who will be anxiously watching the smokestacks on top of the Sistine Chapel this week need to know when to watch, and what to expect when the white smoke finally appears.

Thanks to Cindy Wooten of the Catholic News Service (CNS), the following are the U.S. times when smoke will be issued out of the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel.

After the first vote, which will take place today, the first smoke signal can be expected around 7:00 p.m. Rome time, which is 2:00 p.m. ET in the U.S.

On Wednesday, which will be the first full day of voting, smoke can be expected around noon Rome time, which is 7:00 a.m. ET in the U.S., and again at 2:00 p.m. to announce the outcome of the afternoon voting sessions.

However, the morning and afternoon sessions will contain two votes each. So if a pope is elected during the first round in the morning, expect the smoke around 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. If a pope is elected during the first round in the afternoon, smoke can be expected between 12:30 and 1:00 p.m. ET.

Once the white smoke is seen, Wooten reports that it will take about 40-45 minutes for the announcement of the new pope. “He must accept the office, change to white vestments and the cardinals pledge their obedience and pray again,” Wooten writes.

When the big moment finally arrives, the senior Cardinal Deacon, who currently is Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, will appear on the main balcony of St. Peter’s basilica to proclaim the new Pope.

He will say:

“Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam! Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum [forename], Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem [surname], qui sibi nomen imposuit [papal name].”

Translated, this means: “I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope! The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord [forename], Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church [surname], who takes to himself the name [papal name].”

Until that happy moment arrives, pray, pray, pray!

© All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace®  http://www.womenofgrace.com