Live: Argentinian Jorge Bergoglio elected pope, takes name Pope Francis

The Papal Conclave to elect the new Bishop of Rome has ended at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican. The 115 Cardinals under 80 have voted and Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio has been elected Pope. [caption id=“attachment_659678” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Pilgrims hold a cross in front of St. Peter’s Basilica while cardinals meet in conclave in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. AP[/caption] You can track live updates here: 12.40 am The Cardinal is there. He’s announcing the name of the new Pope. The Pope will now appear on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio is the new Pope. He has taken on the papal name Franciscum. He is the first Jesuit Pope in history. The new pope is of  Argentine descent. The Pope finally makes an appearance on the balcony. Here’s a tweet of his blessing:

Noted for his austerity and for using public transport in Buenos Aires, he is considered unusually conservative for a Jesuit. he studied humanities in Argentina, philosophy in Argentina and later theology. He was already considered a candidate for pope in 2005. Modest and upright, he is also considered an intellectual heavyweight. He has also been very critical with corruption in his home country . He has also accused Argentina’s government of not doing enough to eradicate poverty. - Guardian.co.uk Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio: Bergoglio, 76, has spent nearly his entire career at home in Argentina, overseeing churches and shoe-leather priests. The archbishop of Buenos Aires reportedly got the second-most votes after Joseph Ratzinger in the 2005 papal election, and he has long specialized in the kind of pastoral work that some say is an essential skill for the next pope. In a lifetime of teaching and leading priests in Latin America, which has the largest share of the world’s Catholics, Bergoglio has shown a keen political sensibility as well as the kind of self-effacing humility that fellow cardinals value highly. Bergoglio is known for modernizing an Argentine church that had been among the most conservative in Latin America: Associated Press     12:20 am: Cardinal Jean-Louis Pierre Tauran who is the Cardinal Protodeacon aka the senior Cardinal Deacon will shortly appear to announce who the successful cardinal is. All eyes on the balcony:

  The format for the announcement when a cardinal is elected Pope is: Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam; Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum [First Name] Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ Cardinalem [Last Name], Qui sibi nomen imposuit [Papal Name]. The English translation is: I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope! The most eminent and most reverend Lord, Lord [First Name] Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church [Last Name], Who takes for himself the name of [Papal Name]. The naming business: Every time a new pontiff is chosen in a conclave, a senior cardinal goes up to him and asks: “And by what name do want to be called?” The question is popped immediately, while all electors are still locked in the Sistine chapel. So the winner had better have done his homework and already picked a name. Daniela Petroff/Associated Press In other news, the new Pope can’t move into his Papal apartment just yet. According to Nicole Winfield for the Associated Press, He will remain with the cardinals at the Vatican’s Santa Marta hotel, an impersonal modern hotel on the edge of the Vatican gardens where they have been sequestered since the beginning of the conclave. He will spend his first night as pontiff in a room that features a bed with a dark wood headboard and a carved image of Christ’s face, as well as a sitting area and a study. The new pope is expected to stay there for a few weeks until the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace can be renovated. The apartment was sealed Feb. 28, just after Benedict resigned, and cannot be reopened until the new pope formally takes possession. 11.40 pm: White smoke is seen outside the chimney. Bells are now ringing. A new pope has been chosen. Crowds in St Peter’s Square shouting “Viva il Papa” “Viva il Papa”. This means Long Live the Pope. The name of the new Pope will be announced to the crowd in St Peter’s Basilica with the words “habemus papam” – we have a pope – followed by the pope’s name (with his first name in Latin) and then his new papal name. The announcement is given from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. After the announcement, the new pope is presented to the people and he gives his first Urbi et Orbi blessing. The band is playing as the Swiss Guards arrive in St Peter’s Square. The crowds are just growing crazy. Of course the Pope is trending on Twitter. He’s the first pope to do that, now eh. Some tweets:

  10.15 pm: While everyone waits for the smoke, there’s a seagull sitting on top of the chimney. Auspicious sign? 10.00 pm What happens if there is Black Smoke again. Well according to the Guardian , the process begins again tomorrow with two ballots in the morning, then some smoke and if this is Black, then another two ballots in the afternoon and we wait for more smoke. If no pope has been elected by Friday, the cardinals will hold a day of prayer and reflection on Saturday before resuming their conclave on Sunday. Some tweets on the crowd outside. Remember the smoke could be seen within the next hour or so.

  An funny tweet from a parody account, called Papal Smoke Stack

  9.05 pm: So while everybody is waiting for the next Pope, guess who decided to join the faithful in Rome. Its Dennis Rodman, who obviously had a successful South Korea trip with Kim Jong-Un as his as new BFF (Best friend forever). According to TMZ , Rodman has flown in to meet the new Pope. He was quoted as saying “I want to be anywhere in the world that I’m needed … I want to spread a message of peace and love throughout the world.” Here’s a picture of Rodman in Rome: [caption id=“attachment_659661” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Former NBA star Dennis Rodman walks next to the Bernini Colonnade near St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. AP[/caption] 9.00 pm The second round of voting for the day should be over. We could see Black or White smoke in the Vactican chimney soon in the next one hour or so. According to reports the faithful are lining up at St Peter’s Square in anticipation, undeterred by the rain. 5.50pm The history behind white smoke and black smoke While 115 cardinals remain sequestered in the Vatican until they elect the Church’s 266th pontiff, faithful gathered outside at St. Peter’s Square have their eyes fixed on a two-meter high chimney fixed atop the Sistine Chapel waiting for white smoke to billow out of the chimney, signalling the election of a new Pope. But what is the history behind these smoke signals? Read more about it here.  4.05pm - Black smoke emerges again from Vatican The Papal Conclave is still undecided on who will succeed Benedict XVI as the next Bishop of Rome after two rounds of voting on Wednesday morning. There will be another two rounds  this evening, before the Cardinals call it a day. The 115 cardinals will remain in the Sistine Chapel until they elect the 266th pontiff to head the Catholic Church. [caption id=“attachment_659108” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Black smoke billows from Sistine Chapel chimney in Vatican. Reuters[/caption] 3.00pm - Indian cardinal youngest at Conclave Indian cardinal Cleemis Thottunkal is the youngest cardinal taking part in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI. Also known as Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos, Thottunkal is the archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram. He was one of the last cardinals appointed by Benedict in November 2012. Read more about him here . Day 2, 2.30 pm: After an inconclusive vote on Tuesday, the 115 cardinals began the process of electing a new Pope on Wednesday. A morning Mass was celebrated in the Pauline Chapel in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, which was attended by the cardinals. The first vote on day two of the conclave could happen anytime between 3 pm and 5 pm India time.   11.00 pm:  The first session of the conclave should end by 12.30 am India Time. Now that’s when the ballot will be cast after which we will see the White or Black smoke. White smoke is unlikely in the very first session. If that does happen, Cardinal Dean will ask the Pope elect if he accepts, and what papal name he will take. Once this is done, the crowd in St Peter’s Square will be greeted with the words “habemus papam” which means we have a pope in Latin and the new pope will greet the crowd. 10.30 pm:  It’s not a conclave till there’s a protest happening outside. According to Reuters, a group of women are protesting the all men conclave. The protesters have set off a pink smoke flare to counter the black and white smoke. Way to go ladies. Pink is actually more visible, and it does make more sense. [caption id=“attachment_658070” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] People watch on a video monitor in St. Peter’s Square as Monsignor Guido Marini, master of liturgical ceremonies, closes the double doors to the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. AP[/caption] The report states , Mimicking traditional smoke signals from the Sistine Chapel - white for a new pontiff and black for an inconclusive vote - the women also wore pink clothes and “Ordain Women” badges. “The current old boys’ club has left our Church reeling from scandal, abuse, sexism and oppression,” said director of the Women’s Ordination Conference, Erin Saiz Hanna, one of a small group assembled on the Janiculum hill overlooking St. Peter’s. “The people of the Church are desperate for a leader who will be open to dialogue and embrace the gifts of women’s wisdom in every level of Church governance,” she said. For full report go to the Reuters page . 10.15 pm: In this age of instant information, The Guardian has a created a site called, www.istherewhitesmoke.com  to show White Smoke once the Pope is selected. So you don’t have to worry about reading online or watching the television or sitting on Twitter all the time just to find out when the Pope is elected. Just keep this page open and you should know. It’s pretty cool we think. 10.00 pm Conclave begins. All cardinals have taken their oaths. The staff are leaving through the doors of the chapel. “Extra omnes,” says the master of ceremonies, Monsignor Guido Marin, which in latin means outside all of you. The conclave has begun. The doors will now open once a new Pope has been chosen.

  9.00 pm:  Tweet from Reuters reporter about the Cardinals taking their oaths:

  Here’s a video of the Mass that was celebrated before the Conclave began: Here are some tweets by Cardinals before they went for the conclave: Ghanaian Cardinal Turkson, who is President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace:

  This tweet from Cardenal Lluís Martínez Sistach, Archbishop of Barcelona, which translates as “Tomorrow we go into the conclave, invoking the Holy Spirit to illuminate our choice of Holy Father. Thank you for your prayers.”

  8.00 pm - First vote in an hour The first vote to elect the new Pope could begin in an hour, but the College of Cardinals could decide not to hold the vote on the first day of the Conclave. If they decide not to vote today,  the Cardinals will retire for the day and begin voting on Wednesday, day two of the Conclave. From the second day onwards, the Conclave can have a maximum of four elections in a day. Two in the morning, and two in the evening. How do we know if there has been a vote today? Wait for the smoke! 7.45 pm-  Gammarelli - the Papal designer In the image below, Papal shoes and a white skull cap are seen beneath three sets of papal outfits - small, medium and large sizes - displayed in the Gammarelli tailor shop window, in Rome. The favorite guessing game in Rome these days is who will be the next pope. No one takes this more seriously than the Gammarelli family, ecclesiastical tailors by papal appointment for over 200 years. For the past seven conclaves Gammarelli has prepared three identical white outfits in small, medium and large for the new pope when he makes his first public appearance on the balcony of St.Peter’s and gives his first blessing to the crowd below. The outfits have been on display in the window of the small wood paneled store nestled in the shadow of the Pantheon, where the family moved in 1850 from the original “bottega’’ (artisan shop) just around the corner founded in 1798. Before the start of the conclave, the outfits will be delivered to the Vatican, and left in a room adjacent to the Sistine Chapel, where the just elected pope will change into his new clothes. - Associated Press [caption id=“attachment_657814” align=“alignleft” width=“600”] Papal shoes and a white skull cap are seen beneath three sets of papal outfits - small, medium and large sizes - displayed in the Gammarelli tailor shop window, in Rome. Associated Press[/caption]   7.15 pm: Who all are eligible to vote for the new Pope? Only cardinals under age 80 are eligible; in this case 115 men will vote. Two cardinals who were eligible stayed home: The emeritus archbishop of Jakarta, Cardinal Julius Darmaatjadja, who is ill, and Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who recused himself after admitting to inappropriate sexual behavior. 6.45 pm- “I elect as Supreme Pontiff” The picture below made available by the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano shows the urns where each cardinal will place his folded ballot after voting inside the Sistine Chapel during the conclave at the Vatican. During the voting that ensues, each cardinal writes his choice on a rectangular piece of paper inscribed with the words “Eligo in summen pontificem” — Latin for “I elect as Supreme Pontiff.” Holding the folded ballot up in the air, each approaches the altar and places it on a saucer, before tipping it into an oval urn, as he intones these words: “I call as my witness, Christ the Lord, who will be my judge that my vote is given to the one who, before God, I think should be elected.” - Associated Press [caption id=“attachment_657685” align=“alignleft” width=“600”] The urns where each cardinal will place his folded ballot after voting inside the Sistine Chapel during the conclave at the Vatican. Associated Press[/caption] 6.15 pm -  Cardinals celebrate Mass Cardinals heard a final appeal for unity Tuesday before sequestering themselves in the Sistine Chapel for the conclave to elect the next pope, as they celebrated Mass amid divisions and uncertainty over who will lead the 1.2 billion-strong Catholic Church and tend to its many problems. A Gregorian chant wafting through St. Peter’s Basilica, the 115 cardinal electors filed in wearing bright red vestments, many looking grim as if the burden of the imminent vote was weighing on them. A few hundred people braved thunderstorms and pouring rain to watch the Mass on giant TV screens in St. Peter’s Square. A handful knelt in prayer, eyes clenched and hands clasped.   6.00 pm - Below is a fish-eye picture of Cardinals attending a Mass,celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, for the election of a new pope  inside St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican. [caption id=“attachment_657583” align=“alignleft” width=“429”] AP Photo[/caption] Youngest Pope elected: The youngest Pope elected was Pope John XII was just 18 when he was elected in 955.   The longest Papal Conclave: Did you know that in 1268, a conclave began that lasted nearly three years — 33 months to be exact. Pope Gregory X was elected pope, but not before residents of Viterbo, north of Rome, tore the roof off the building where the cardinals were staying and restricted their meals to bread and water to make them hurry up. Read more about it here.  A little before 5 pm, all those not having anything to do with the conclave leave the Sistine Chapel when the master of ceremonies intones “Extra Omnes” (all out) and the great doors of the frescoed chapel are shut. At around 4.30 pm (local time) the cardinal electors move in a procession, while singing and praying, from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel. To know more about how the Pope is elected you can read this article . You can also find out who are the front runners for the post here . You can find out more about how Papal Conclaves in the past century were held here . The Papal conclave to elect a new Pope begins in the Vatican today. The ritual, which is among the oldest in the world has had its share of controversy and weird facts. Here are a few .