VATICAN CITY — White smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney Wednesday to roars of joy from the throngs jamming St. Peter’s Square.
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The new pope, his name not yet revealed, is expected to greet the masses from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basillica shortly.
The 115 voting cardinals took four or five votes over two days to reach their decision, which required a two-thirds majority and came after a week of intense meetings. The cardinal conclave came on the heels of the surprising resignation of Pope Benedict XVI last month.
Benedict, who did not participate in the election, cited health reasons in becoming the first pope to step down in some 600 years. In his eight years the church solidified its message on core Catholic values such as opposition to abortion and gay marriage, and saw gains in membership in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
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