White smoke has been detected from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, signalling the election of a new Pope by the Catholice church.
The new Pope will replace the late Pope Francis who died last month at the age of 88.
However, the identity of the new pope was not immediately made known as the pontiff’s name has yet to be announced.
The white smoke flowed from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican on the second day of the Conclave shortly after 1pm on Thursday.
The white smoke signalled that one of the candidates for the pontificate had obtained the necessary two-thirds majority for election.
The crowd in St Peter’s Square is now waiting expectantly for the new Pope to appear on the huge balcony that runs across the front of St Peter’s basilica
