The Diocese of St. Cloud released a statement from Bishop Patrick M. Neary commemorating the loss of the pope.

Black smoke will billow from the Sistine Chapel on an unsuccessful vote. White smoke rises when the selection is made. The conclave that elected Pope John Paul II in 1978 lasted for three days. For Benedict XVI, it was two days. Francis was picked in barely 24 hours. There is no set time period for how long it takes the conclave to choose.

The pontiff’s death initiated a well-structured series of rituals designed to mourn the loss of the 1.3 billion-member church’s leader and to ensure stability with the selection of a new pope.