Breaking; Video showing White smoke signaling new pope has been elected.

The pontiff is the 267th Pope, becoming the religious leader of Catholics across the globe and someone believed to be called to be the successor to St Peter, who was the first.

Shortly after 5pm Irish time on Thursday, crowds in St Peter’s Square bore witness to history as white smoke billowed into the air from a specially-erected chimney at the chapel, in the age-old tradition.

Onlookers erupted into cheers and applause as bells tolled to confirm the news.

Some 133 cardinals entered the chapel on Wednesday afternoon, with the secret conclave meeting getting under way behind closed doors shortly before 5pm UK time, as the group were cut off from all communications with the outside world.

The timing means it took cardinals only around 24 hours to elect their new leader.

With inputs from sunday world, Cbn tv