A new pope has been elected, heralded by the iconic plume of white smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.
The identity of the new leader of the Catholic Church will soon be revealed when he steps onto the central balcony of St.
Peter's Basilica.
The decision came after intense deliberation by 133 cardinals from around the world, who were locked in a secret conclave to choose a successor to lead over 1.4 billion Catholics globally.
