White smoke rising: The Catholic Church has a new pope

To the cheers of thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square, white smoke has been seen rising from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, signaling to the world that the Conclave of Cardinals has chosen a new pope.

Catholics and others around the world now await the appearance of French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, the protodeacon of the College of Cardinals, who will announce "Habemus Papam!" ("We have a pope!"). The cardinal will share the new pontiff’s Christian name, followed by his surname, and the name the new pope has chosen. The newly elected pope will then process to the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to greet the crowd below, as well as his global flock, and to deliver his traditional, first "Urbi et Orbi" blessing.

In a process that has remained relatively unchanged for the last 800 years, cardinal electors, 133 in all, began meeting inside the sealed Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, May 7, to select the new pope. Cardinals vote until a candidate receives a two-third majority. The man chosen then had to agree to take the position, after which he will have told the cardinals the name he has chosen and which the world now waits to hear.a