White smoke has emerged out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, signalling that a new pope has been elected.

Bells rang out Thursday evening from St Peter’s Basilica after cardinals elected the 267th pope to lead the Catholic Church on the second day of their conclave.

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The crowd in St Peter’s Square erupted in cheers, priests made the sign of the cross and nuns wept as the crowd shouted “Viva il papa!” (“Long live the pope!”) after the white smoke wafted into the late afternoon sky at 6:07pm (16:07 GMT).

The smoke signal means the winner secured at least 89 votes of the 133 cardinals participating in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis.

The name will be announced later, when a top cardinal utters the words “Habemus papam!” – Latin for “We have a pope!” – from the loggia or roofed area of the basilica. The cardinal then reads the winner’s birth name in Latin and reveals the name he has chosen to be called.

The new pope is then expected to make his first public appearance and impart a blessing from the same loggia.

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