Jorge Mario Bergoglio becomes Pope Francis: White smoke from Sistine Chapel heralds shock decision to elect first Latin American and first Jesuit to lead Catholic Church

The new Pope has been unveiled as Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who will take the name Pope Francis. 

The 76-year-old was welcomed by tens of thousands of overjoyed Catholics in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City after his election was revealed this afternoon at 6pm GMT when white smoke poured out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

Tens of thousands cheered in St. Paul's Square at the sight of the symbolic plumes, announcing that the successor to Benedict XVI had finally been chosen after two days of intense voting. 

The South American's election is a significant move for the Church, taking the Papacy to a continent in which 42 per cent of the world's Catholics live. 

After hours braving the cold rain, the huge crowd chanted 'Habemus Papam' and 'We have a pope' - as the bells of St. Peter's Basilica and other churches across Rome pealed.

As excitement grew before the Pope Francis's imminent appearance on the loggia, the crowd repeated the refrain 'Viva il Papa' - translated as 'Long live the Pope'.  

The new Pope was dressed in his papal robes and joined in prayer with the other cardinals before his appearance. 

The conclave was called after Pope Benedict XVI resigned last month for health reasons, sending the church into turmoil and exposing deep divisions among cardinals tasked with finding a replacement to address issues within the church.