Faithful wait at Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican March 13, 2013. (REUTERS/Max Rossi)

THE VATICAN - Cardinals have completed three rounds of voting without picking a pope.

Black smoke emerged from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel at 11:38 a.m. local time (6:30 a.m. EST), signifying that both rounds of voting held Wednesday morning did not produce the required two-thirds majority or 77 votes to elect a new pope.

Cardinals have now completed three rounds of balloting to choose the 266th succesor to St. Peter.