VATICAN CITY: White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday (Might 8) and the bells of St Peter’s rang out, signalling that cardinals have elected a brand new pope to succeed Pope Francis and take cost of the Roman Catholic Church.
The election got here on the primary full day of voting by the 133 cardinal electors, who secluded themselves behind the Vatican’s medieval partitions on Wednesday afternoon.
A joyous crowd in St Peter’s Sq. cheered and applauded as the primary puffs of smoke emerged from a small chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, the place the cardinals have been holding their secret poll.
The identification of the pope and the identify he has chosen as pontiff shall be introduced to the world from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica shortly.
The brand new pope will then step ahead to ship his first public deal with and blessing to the gathered crowds.
Pope Francis died on Apr 21 after ruling the 1.4-billion member Church for 12 years. Throughout his reign, he sought to open up the staid establishment to the trendy world, enacting a variety of reforms and permitting debate on divisive points akin to ladies’s ordination and higher inclusion of LGBT Catholics.
Whereas no clear favourites had emerged to succeed him, Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who served because the Vatican’s quantity two underneath Francis, and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle have been thought of the frontrunners.
