A new Pope has been elected following the third round of voting by the College of Cardinals.
The decision was signaled to the world as white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, indicating a successful papal election.
The 133 Cardinals participating in the conclave had been locked inside the Sistine Chapel, completely cut off from external communication.
The traditional white smoke, created by burning the ballots with special chemicals, remains the sole method of announcing a successful election to the public.
This moment marks the official end of the papal conclave and the beginning of a new chapter for the Catholic Church, as Pope Francis’s successor prepares to address the faithful from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
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