
People hold to spot fume billowing from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, wherever 133 cardinals are gathering for the conclave to prime Pope Francis' successor, Wednesday. Bernat Armangue/AP hide caption
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Bernat Armangue/AP
VATICAN CITY — White fume streamed from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, signaling to the satellite that the 133 Roman Catholic cardinals wrong person elected a caller pope.
The individuality of the caller pontiff is not yet known. Vatican officials are expected to denote his sanction successful Latin from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica shortly.
Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, a 73-year-old Frenchman calved successful Morocco, is expected to marque the announcement — unless helium himself is elected pope.
Then the caller pope himself volition look and code the crowd.
Rome is brimming with excitement, arsenic thousands stitchery adjacent the Via della Conciliazione to beryllium contiguous for the historical infinitesimal erstwhile the caller pope is announced and presented to the world.
While the world's 1.4 cardinal Catholics await the emergence of the caller person of their religion connected the celebrated loggia, a bid of rituals are taking place.
Once a palmy ballot is complete, the astir elder cardinal asks the recently elected pope, "Do you judge your canonical predetermination arsenic ultimate pontiff?"
After helium accepts, helium is past asked, "What sanction bash you privation to beryllium called?"
The cardinal electors past wage homage and pledge obedience to the caller caput of the church, and acknowledgment are fixed to God portion the caller pope is taken into a sacristy and fitted with papal attire.
Finally, the pronouncement is made successful Latin — "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam!" ("I bring you tidings of large joy: We person a pope!") — and the caller pope gives an apostolic blessing to throngs of faithful.
The caller pontiff was chosen by 133 cardinal electors by a two-thirds majority.