Category Archives: Pope Francis

From Catholic News Service:
Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76 was elected the 266th pope and took the name Francis.  The Latin American pope, a Jesuit, 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 in the square below and millions watching around the world. White smoke poured from the Sistine Chapel chimney at 7:05 p.m. signaling that the cardinals had chosen a successor to retired Pope Benedict XVI. At 7:07 p.m., the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica began pealing continuously to confirm the election. At 8:12 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 most eminent and most reverend lord, Lord Jorge, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Bergoglio, who has taken for himself the name Francis.”  (Full Story on Catholic News Service)

No decision yet from the conclave, as this morning’s ballots resulted in black smoke from the Vatican chimney around  7:00am ET.  The next ballots will take place between 12:00pm and  2:30pm ET.

Watch live coverage of the events surrounding the conclave from Catholic Canadian media outlet Salt and Light TV, which includes this afternoon’s “smoke watch” beginning at 12:00pm ET.  CBS News is also providing a continuous live feed with their Vatican Smoke Cam.

For more information on how results will be communicated and the expected timetable for the day, please see this article from Catholic News Service.