White smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, signaling that the 133 cardinals inside had elected a new pope.

Thousands of pilgrims and curious onlookers in St. Peter's Square rejoiced and applauded when the smoke appeared and the bells began to ring, signaling that the 2,000-year-old institution has its 267th pope.

Now all eyes are on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to see who has been chosen to succeed Pope Francis. The Argentine Jesuit, who led the Catholic Church for 12 years, died on April 21.

The new pope will be presented in Latin with the papal name he has chosen and will address the world for the first time.

There was no clear favorite to succeed the charismatic Francis. The main contenders were considered to be Maltese Cardinal Mario Grech, Archbishop Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, and Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi.

However, the challenges facing the 2,000-year-old institution are clear.

The new pope faces diplomatic balancing in a time of geopolitical uncertainty, as well as deep divisions within the Church itself.

In addition, the aftermath of the scandal involving the sexual abuse of children by clergy continues to reverberate, and church pews in the West are increasingly empty.

This afternoon, around 133 "Princes of the Church" from five continents began voting. This was the largest and most international conclave to date.

Sworn to secrecy under threat of excommunication, the only way they could communicate their progress to the outside world was by releasing smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

On the evening of May 7, and then again at noon on May 8, the smoke was black and emitted disappointed sighs from tens of thousands of observers.

But in the afternoon, shortly after 6 p.m. local time (7 p.m. Bulgarian time), the smoke was white, confirming that the Catholic Church had a new spiritual leader.

Traditionally, he now enters the Hall of Tears—the place where newly elected popes give free rein to their emotions—to put on the papal vestments for the first time, after which he returns to the Sistine Chapel so that the cardinals can pledge their obedience.

He will then appear on the balcony with a senior cardinal, who will announce to the waiting crowds "Habemus Papem" ("We have a pope").

The pope will then deliver a short speech and give his first blessing, "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the city and to the world"). | BGNES