Joseph Ratzinger of Germany has been elected the 265th pontiff today by the College of Cardinals. He was announced as tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square. He has chosen the name Benedict XVI, the Vatican announced. The announcement came shortly after white smoke rose from the Vatican chimney and bells rang to announce that a new pope had been selected.
Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez of Chile made the announcement to a cheering crowd in St. Peter's Square.
Ratzinger, who took the name Benedict XVI, appeared on the balcony of the Vatican Basilica to greet the people and deliver his first papal blessing.
Earlier, white smoke rose from a Sistine Chapel chimney and bells rang Tuesday, signaling the selection of a new pope.
The crowd clapped and waved flags as the smoke began to billow over Vatican City about 5:50 p.m. (11:50 a.m. ET).
Suspense built as the throng waited for the symbolic ringing of bells, at which point the crowd broke into a roar of jubilation.
The conclave of 115 cardinals had voted three times previously -- once Monday night and twice Tuesday morning -- before selecting the new pope.
The cardinals' morning ballots were burned at about 11:50 a.m. (5:50 a.m. EDT).
Chemicals are added to the ballots to turn the smoke white or black.
Pope John Paul II, who died April 2 at age 84, had decreed that white smoke be accompanied by the ringing of bells, to avoid a repeat of the confusion after his election in 1978.
Ratzinger needed two-thirds of the votes to be selected.
Speculation rife
There has been a great deal of speculation about who may be chosen to succeed John Paul II, who died April 2 at the age of 84, but cardinals have been mum.
Some taking part in the conclave said they are looking for a leader who presents a hopeful vision, who can "generate some dynamism and some optimism within Catholicism."
The first clues to the process of finding a successor were sought during the homily or sermon delivered by Ratzinger at Monday's public Mass.
"Having a clear faith, based on the creed of the church, is often labeled today as a fundamentalism," Ratzinger said.
Allen said Ratzinger delivered a "very blunt" message for the church to "stay true to itself."
That was a strong indication that Ratzinger, 78, wants a "traditionalist" elected the next pope, Allen said.
John Paul was widely credited with extending the reach of the papacy. He spoke more than a dozen languages and set an unprecedented pattern of pastoral travel, drawing huge crowds all over the world.
He was also strictly traditional on issues of sexuality and the role of women in the church, which won him support among some Catholics but alienated others. Similar disagreement exists over the next pontiff's stances on issues such as birth control, stem cell research and the ordination of female priests.
News Source: CNN