The new Pope is Robert Prevost, the first American pontiff and will take the name Pope Leo
Pope Leo, 69, is seen as a reformer
The crowd erupted into cheers in St. Peter’s Square earlier, as white smoke billowed from the chimney.
The number of people in St Peter’s Square has risen to more than 40,000.
The flow of people toward the square increased significantly after the white smoke, and is still growing.
Related Articles:
- Cardinals celebrate Mass in the Vatican ahead conclave to elect new pope
- Pope Francis finally laid to rest at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica
- Race to choose Pope Francis’ successor has begun
The fact that it took cardinals only four rounds of voting to pick a new pope and the white smoke came out of the Sistine Chapel chimney after a day’s voting is “a clear sign of the unity of the Church,” Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi said from the Vatican press office.
The new pope was picked even faster than his predecessor Francis.
We’ve just heard the crowds chanting “viva il papa”, which means “long live the pope” in Italian.
Music continues playing from the band that now stands under the balcony in St Peter’s Square before people erupt into applause.