Vatican City:
Tens of thousands of people cheered as they waited in St Peter's Square on Wednesday for the identity of the new pope to be revealed after he was elected after two days of voting.
White smoke had billowed from a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel roof, signalling that 115 cardinals meeting in a conclave had reached a decision after five ballots, prompting shouts of "Viva il Papa!" (Long Live the Pope).
Despite the rain that had fallen for much of the afternoon on the Vatican, a surge of anticipation passed through the crowd waiting for the new leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics to emerge onto the balcony of St Peter's Basilica.
Marching bands marched onto the square to move into position ahead of the first appearance of Benedict XVI's successor.
White smoke had billowed from a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel roof, signalling that 115 cardinals meeting in a conclave had reached a decision after five ballots, prompting shouts of "Viva il Papa!" (Long Live the Pope).
Despite the rain that had fallen for much of the afternoon on the Vatican, a surge of anticipation passed through the crowd waiting for the new leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics to emerge onto the balcony of St Peter's Basilica.
Marching bands marched onto the square to move into position ahead of the first appearance of Benedict XVI's successor.
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