A new pope has been elected at the Vatican as white smoke rose from the conclave in Rome.
The new head of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics is expected to appear on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica within an hour, after stopping to pray in the Pauline Chapel for a few minutes.
His appearance will come after French Cardinal Jean- Louis Tauran, the protodeacon, announces "Habemus Papum" - "We have a pope" - and gives the name of the new pontiff in Latin.
Tens of thousands of the faithful broke into cheers as the white smoke indicated the new pontiff had obtained the required two thirds majority in the fifth round of voting by 115 cardinals over two days.
The quick election was a surprise given there was no clear front-runner going into the vote - and the upheaval in the church prompted by Pope Benedict XVI's resignation last month.
His departure threw the church into turmoil and exposed deep divisions among cardinals tasked with finding a manager to clean up a Vatican bureaucracy embroiled in recent scandals.
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