GENEVA, May 8 (KUNA) -- White smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signaling that cardinals' closed-door congregation was capped with electing the Catholic Church 267th Pope.
Shortly later the new pope, the American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost (Leo XIV), appeared at the balcony of St Peter's Basilica waving to the crowd.
Up to 133 cardinals out of 135 eligible ones took part in the clandestine voting selecting a new pope to succeeded the late pope Francis who died at the age of 88 last month. (end) amk.rk