Latin America has its first Pope. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected as the new pope. He takes the name Pope Francis I.
White smoke coming through the chimney of the Sistine Chapel made it official that a new pope has been elected. The announcement of the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church is coming shortly. WXXI AM 1370 has live NPR coverage from Vatican City.
More from AP:
The new pope was elected on the fifth ballot -- chosen in one of the fastest conclaves in years. And a quick decision hadn't been expected, since the church had been in turmoil after Pope Benedict's surprise
resignation. The election also came amid revelations of mismanagement, infighting and corruption in the Holy See bureaucracy. The names mentioned most often among cardinals who could be chosen as pope included Angelo Scola, the archbhishop of Milan, and Marc Ouellet, the Canadian who heads the Vatican's bishops' office.
Cardinals elected a new pope to lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics on Wednesday, overcoming deep divisions to select the 266th pope in a remarkably fast conclave.
Tens of thousands of people who braved cold rain to watch the smokestack atop the Sistine Chapel jumped in joy when white smoke poured out, many shouting ``HabemusPapam!'' or ``We have a pope!'' _ as the bells of St. Peter's Basilica and churches across Rome tolled, signaling a pontiff had been chosen.
The pope, whose identity isn't yet known, is due to emerge from the loggia overlooking St. Peter's Square to deliver his first words as the Bishop of Rome.