White smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel this evening, signaling that the College of Cardinals has elected a new pope to lead the Roman Catholic Church.
The election followed two days of deliberations among the 133 cardinal electors, who had been sequestered within the Vatican since Wednesday afternoon. The bells of St. Peter’s Basilica rang out shortly after the smoke appeared, confirming the news to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
The conclave commenced on Wednesday, May 7, following the death of Pope Francis on April 21. The cardinals cast several ballots, with black smoke emerging after each vote, indicating no consensus had been reached. The decisive vote occurred on Thursday evening at approximately 6:08 p.m. local time.
While the identity of the new pontiff has not yet been disclosed, the election marks the beginning of a new era for the Catholic Church. The newly elected pope is expected to appear on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica shortly to deliver his first public address and impart his first apostolic blessing.
More news about the identity of the Pope coimg soon…
