White smoke appeared above the Sistine Chapel, signaling to the world that the secret conclave chose the successor to Pope Francis.
Millions of millions are now awaiting the announcement of the new head of the Catholic church after the decision made Thursday by 133 cardinals who met in the Sistine Chapel for the historic vote.
They met at 4:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday in the 15th century chapel for the first ballot, which was not conclusive, but was recognized for three other voting sessions before reaching a two -thirds majority, which was reported when white smoke appeared around 6 p.m. on Thursday.
Follow the latest updates of our live blog
The signal of the historic decision caused cheers of the crowd of faithful to Saint-Pierre square, many of whom have traveled internationally to meet and wait for the decision.
The identity of the pope and the name he has chosen as pontiff will be announced in the world from the central balcony of the Saint-Pierre basilica shortly.
The new pope will then advance to pronounce his first public speech and the blessing of the crowd gathered.
Chiara Pironi, a 26 -year -old woman who lives in Rome, was one of the people waiting to see the result, who will influence global affairs for a significant period of international instability.
“I don’t want to miss this moment,” she said.
Pope Francis died on April 21 after more than a decade at the head of the church. He was buried on April 26.
It is the largest and most diverse conclave to decide on the next Pope in its secular history, with many named people, from 70 countries, chosen by Pope Francis himself.
Wednesday morning, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said that the election of the new pope “was not a simple succession of people”, in his homily during the mass at the Saint-Pierre basilica.
He urged the cardinals to pray, for a pope “who knows how to best awaken the consciences of all and moral and spiritual energies in today’s society”.
“That the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of the Church, interceded with her maternal intercession, so that the Holy Spirit illuminates the spirit of cardinal voters and helps them get along on the pope that our time needs,” he said.
While the fiery conclave Pope Francis also occurred over two days, the longest in history lasted almost three years with the election of Pope Gregory X in 1271, according to Ewtn Vatican, which was also the first in modern history.
Once a cardinal has reached the 89 votes required, he is asked if he accepts the role, and once he said yes, he must choose a papal name.
Then, he is taken to a small room off the Sistine Chapel called “Room of Tears”, named after the emotional weight of the responsibility to come, where he will put white papal clothes.
Immediately after that, the new pope is presented to the world of the Balcony of the Saint-Pierre Basilica with the Latin proclamation: “Annintio vobis Gaudium Magnum: Habemus Papam!” (“I bring you news of great joy: we have a pope!”)
Several candidates have become advantages to succeed Pope Francis, including his best Cardinal Pietro Parolin advisor and his Liberal colleague Luis Antonio Tagle, the Philippin nicknamed “Asian Francis”.
But there are also several conservative candidates in the running, notably the Hungarian traditionist Peter Erdo and the Congolese Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo BesUngu.
The frontrunners were all aware of the Italian adage that “the one who enters a conclave as a pope leaves him as a cardinal”.
