Papa mpya

Tens of thousands of Catholics flocked to the Vatican City last night to witness Jorge Mario Bergoglio's unveiling as Pope Francis I - the Church's first ever leader born outside Europe.

The Argentine son of an Italian railway worker was chosen as the 266th pontiff on the fifth ballot of the conclave of cardinals last night, with the Sistine Chapel's symbolic white smoke revealing the decision. 

Newly elected Pope Francis I appeared on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City before tens of thousands of excited Catholics

Newly elected Pope Francis I appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica after being elected by the conclave of cardinals

To the cardinals who chose him, it is hoped the 76-year-old's election will be a watershed moment for the world's 1.2billion Catholics. 

They undoubtedly feel that with his Italian roots he will be able to take on the Vatican bureaucracy known as the Curia - which has been subject to accusations of money-laundering - and to take a tough line on the sex scandals continuing to embarrass the church worldwide.

The former Archbishop of Buenos Aires is the first South American and also the first Jesuit pontiff, and will be tasked with leading the Church out of one of its darkest spells following the plethora of recent scandals.

But despite the most daunting of starts to his new role, Pope Francis thought it best to start his first papal address with a joke. 

He began his address to the crowd with a joke, saying that his brother cardinals had gathered to 'give Rome a bishop' but said that they had 'gone to the ends of the earth to get one'

Dressed in white robes with an elaborate stole, he asked the crowds to pray for his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI

He told the thousands of soaking Catholics huddled in the Vatican City's St. Peter's Square that the cardinals had gathered to 'give Rome a bishop' but said that they had 'gone to the ends of the earth to get one'. 

Daily Mail