Pope from Global South  Multiple firsts for Francis of Argentina

Argentina's Jorge Bergoglio, elected Pope Francis I, appears on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Wednesday. (AFP) Vatican City, March 13: Argentine Jorge Bergoglio has been elected Pope, the first ever from the Americas and the first not born in Europe since Columbus alighted in the New World. The new Pope, 76, will be called Francis and he will be the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. He is also the first Jesuit to become Pope. In choosing him, the cardinals sent a powerful message that the future of the Church lies in the Global South, home to the bulk of the world's Catholics and covering Latin America, Africa and most of Asia. The Pope inherits a church wrestling with an array of challenges that intensified during the tenure of his predecessor, Benedict XVI — from a priest shortage and growing competition from evangelical churches in the southern hemisphere to a sexual abuse crisis that has undermined the Church's moral authority in the West to difficulties governing the Vatican itself. Pope Francis appeared on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica just over an hour after white smoke poured from a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel to signal he had been chosen to lead the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics. He delivered his first blessing to a huge crowd in St Peter's Square, asking for the prayers of "all men and women of good will" to help him lead the Catholic Church. The Pope shyly waved to the crowd and, speaking Italian with a slight Latin American accent, joked with the crowd before delivering his blessing. "As you know the duty of the conclave is to give Rome a bishop. It seems that my brother cardinals went almost to the end of the world," he said. He asked for prayers for himself, and for retired Pope Benedict XVI, whose surprise resignation paved the way for the tumultuous but remarkably fast conclave. White smoke rises from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican on Wednesday, indicating a new Pope has been chosen. (Reuters) Bergoglio had reportedly finished second in the 2005 conclave that chose Benedict as Pope. The archbishop of Buenos Aires has spent nearly his entire career at home in Argentina, overseeing churches and priests. The choice of Bergoglio was announced by French cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran with the Latin words"Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus Papam (I announce to you a great joy. We have a Pope)." Although a conservative, the new Pope is seen as a reformer and was not among the small group of frontrunners identified before the election. He also went against one of the main assumptions before the election, that the new Pope would be relatively young. He is the oldest of most of the possible candidates and was barely mentioned in feverish speculation about the top contenders before the conclave. Francis, the name the new Pope has chosen, is a much-beloved Italian saint who is identified with peace, poverty and a simple lifestyle. A rich young man from Assisi, Francis renounced wealth and founded the Franciscan order of friars in 1290. The choice could foretell the Pope's priorities in striving to bring a sense of serenity to the troubled church. St Francis is said to have been called by God to repair a church in ruins. Choosing the name of one of Italy's patron saints also ties the new Pope to Italy, the homeland of all Popes of the last few centuries until 1978. Elected on the fifth ballot, the Pope was chosen in one of the fastest conclaves in years, remarkable given there was no clear frontrunner going into the vote and that the church had been in turmoil. A winner must receive 77 votes, or two-thirds of the 115, to be named Pope. Benedict was elected on the fourth ballot in 2005 — but he was the clear frontrunner going into the vote. Pope John Paul II was elected on the eighth ballot in 1978 to become the first non-Italian pontiff in 455 years. Tens of thousands of people who braved cold rain to watch the smokestack atop the Sistine Chapel jumped in joy when white smoke poured out a few minutes past 7pm (local time), many shouting "Habemus Papam!" as the bells of St Peter's Basilica and churches across Rome pealed.

AGENCIES AND NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE