Rabat – A new Pope was officially elected today to lead the Catholic Church, following the passing of Pope Francis last month.
On Thursday afternoon, white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney, an age-old signal that the conclave of cardinals had reached a decision on its second day. Notably, analysts say that the fact that the pope was elected this quickly with the largest group of cardinals – 133 – means that the person is most likely a known contender.
Soon after, the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica began ringing, with crowds in the Vatican’s main square busting into applause and tears in celebration. People are waiting with much anticipation at St. Peter’s Square for the new pope to come out on the Vatican balcony and greet the world.
The 267th Pope was elected after four rounds of votes, similar to Pope Benedict XVI, who was elected after four votes in two days in 2005.
“The first vote sets out where support lies, and then it very quickly becomes a two-horse race, because cardinals shift their support to leading candidates,” CNN Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb said.
Pope Francis was elected in 2013 after five ballots over two days.
The late beloved Pope passed away on April 21 at the age of 88, just a day after addressing crowds on Easter Sunday
He had been discharged from the hospital following weeks of treatment for an infection shortly before his passing.
The Pope’s passing was a devastating shock to the Vatican and led to an outpouring of tributes from Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
