Pope Francis is the first ever from the Americas, an austere Jesuit intellectual who modernised Argentina’s conservative Catholic church.

The Catholic Church’s surprising new leader from “the end of the earth” will celebrate his first Mass as pope today.

World and religious leaders have welcomed the election of Argentine cardinal Jorge Bergoglio to the papacy.

One thing is sure – the new pope will never truly know who voted for him.

Cardinals elected a new pope to lead the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics tonight, overcoming deep divisions to select the 266th pope in a remarkably fast conclave.

The Catholic church has chosen a new pope.

In the absence of a pope, a seagull stole the show at the papal conclave.

Suspense is growing in the Vatican this evening where a large crowd has turned out to await news from the Cardinals who will select the next Pope.

Black smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel earlier today, meaning Roman Catholic cardinals did not elect a pope in their second or third rounds of balloting.

Black smoke has billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, meaning cardinals have not elected a Pope in their second or third rounds of balloting.

The Father Ted references have made it as far as St Peter's Square…

Cardinals have set Tuesday as the start date for the conclave to elect the next pope.

For the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, next Tuesday will long be remembered as the landmark beginning of the conclave in Rome to elect a new pontiff following Pope Benedict’s sudden resignation.