Cardinal Bergoglio of Argentina elected new pope; takes the name Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina, 76, was elected the 266th pope and took the name Pope Francis. He was the first Jesuit to be elected pope.
The election March 13 came on the second day of the conclave, presumably on the fifth ballot. It was a surprisingly quick conclusion to a conclave that began with many plausible candidates and no clear favorite.

The new pope was chosen by at least two-thirds of the 115 cardinals from 48 countries, who cast their ballots in secret in the Sistine Chapel.

His election was announced in Latin from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, to a massive crowd under the rain in the square below and millions watching around the world.

White smoke poured from the Sistine Chapel chimney at 7:05 p.m. (Rome time), signaling that the cardinals had chosen a successor to retired Pope Benedict XVI. A short time later, the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica began pealing continuously to confirm the election.

At 8:18 p.m., French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the senior cardinal in the order of deacons, appeared at the basilica balcony and read out in Latin: “I announce to you a great joy: We have a pope! "

The crowd in the square responded with cheers, applause and the waving of rain-drenched national flags.