VATICAN CITY: On Thursday, the bells of St. Peter’s rang out and white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel, indicating that cardinals had chosen a new pope to succeed Pope Francis and lead the Roman Catholic Church.
The 133 cardinal electors, who hunkered down behind the medieval walls of the Vatican on Wednesday afternoon, cast their ballots on the first full day of the election.
When the first puffs of smoke appeared from a little chimney on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals have been holding their secret ballot, a jubilant audience in St. Peter’s Square cheered and clapped.
From the central office, the world will learn who the pope is and what name he has chosen to serve as pontiff.
