March 13, 2013. (Romereports.com) At 7:06 in the evening, local time in Rome, the fumata bianca, the white smoke, appeared before thousands of people at St. Peter's Square.
 
More than an hour later, at 8:13 at night, the Protodeacon Jean-Louis Tauran made the announcement the world was waiting for: 'Habemus Papam'.


Many of the onlookers were surprised at the election of the Archbishop of Buenos Aires. But after a few minutes, the crowd began chanting his newly chosen name, Francis. After praying for a few minutes inside the Pauline Chapel, he stepped out into the balcony. He became Latin America's first Pope, and the first to use the name Francis.

FRANCIS 
“It seems that my brother Cardinals have come almost to the ends of the earth to get him… but here we are. I thank you for the welcome that has come from the diocesan community of Rome.”

In his first speech, the new Pope recalled his predecessor and asked people to pray for him.

FRANCIS 
“First of all I would say a prayer pray for our Bishop Emeritus Benedict XVI. Let us all pray together for him, that the Lord bless him and Our Lady protect him.”

Before imparting his first blessing as the new Bishop of Rome, Francis asked the faithful to pray for him, as he bowed his head in silence.

He then received the stole and recanted his first blessing Urbi et Orbi.

The Argentine cardinal received more than two thirds of the 115 votes during the fifth round of the conclave on the evening of March 13. Speaking the large crowd that assembled at St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis I asked everyone present to pray to achieve greater brotherhood in the world.


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