The elections were on the first day of the vote by 133 cardinal voters, behind medieval walls in the Vatican on Wednesday afternoon.
A joyous crowd at St. Peter’s Square cheered and applauded as the first smoke came from a small chimney on the roof of Sistine Chapel, where the Cardinals had been holding secret votes.
The identity of the pope and his name as the pope will soon be announced to the world from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The new pope will then advance, giving his first public speech and blessing to the gathering crowd.
Pope Francis died on April 21 after 12 years of ruling the 1.4 billion member churches. During his reign, he tried to open stable institutions to the modern world, carry out a series of reforms, and allow debate on women’s appointments and better divisions including LGBT Catholics.
Although there is no obvious collection to replace him, Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin takes second place in the Vatican under Francis, and Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is considered the leader.
Other “Papabili” – potential Pope candidates in Italian – are Jean-Marc Aveline of France, Peter Erdo of Hungary, American Robert Prevost of the United States, Pierbattisa Pizzaballa of Italy and Pablo Pablo Virgilio David of the Philippines.
The Cardinal will have to decide whether to choose someone with Francis’ vision of greater openness and reform, or to choose a more conservative person.
During the meeting, their only communication with the outside world was through the smoke that emerged from the chimneys – the black and white yet unselected, indicating the new religion chosen by at least two-thirds of the majority.
The Cardinal made the initial uncertain vote Wednesday night, followed by two votes Thursday morning. They returned to Sistine Church at 4 p.m. GMT (1608 GMT) and white smoke appeared at GMT (1608 GMT).
During the meeting, the Cardinals were isolated from the world, sworn to keep secret, their cell phones and computers were confiscated, and they were confiscated while they voted at Sistine Chapel and two Vatican hotels.
The average number of votes in its elections was 7.2 in the last 10 conclusions. Francis was elected five times in 2013.
