Newly elected Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina
March 13, 2013: Newly elected Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina
appeared on the balcony of St. Peters Basilica after being elected by the conclave
of cardinals, at the Vatican, March 13, 2013. White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel
chimney at 7.06 pm and the bells of St. Peters Basilica rang out on Wednesday, signaling
that Roman Catholic cardinals had elected a pope to succeed Benedict XVI. The cardinals
elected the new Pope in their 5th ballot on Wednesday evening in Sistine Chapel in
the Vatican. However, they have reached a successful conclusion, with thick white
smoke from the world famous chimney on the Sistine chapel shortly after 7.5 pm. Bright
spotlights were trained on the smokestack to illuminate the smoke against the thick
backdrop of darkness and inclement weather. Night had fallen by the time the white
smoke rose, but people who had flocked to St. Peter's Square on this cold, rainy evening
could watch the spotlighted chimney on giant screens set up in St. Peter's Square.
All shrieked in excitement as the smoke began billowing out. The new Pope appeared
in the central balcony of st. Peters Basilica and gave his first apostolic blessing
an hour later.