This is The Guardian.
Today, the pomp and the politics of the conclave to elect the next pope.
A patient and prayerful crowd waits in St Peter's Square.
as the cardinals of the Catholic Church in solemn conclave cast their fifth ballot for a successor to Pope John.
It might just be the world's oldest continuing election process.
Three rounds of voting, two ballots each time,
and the 111 cardinals in conclave still had not made their choice.
The conclave to choose the next Bishop of Rome, the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
Twice yesterday and once again this morning,
the crowds in St. Peter's Square, at moments more than 100,000 strong,
gazed in disappointment at the black smoke coming out of the insignificant-looking chimney atop the Sistine Chapel.
For many believers, there is a magic in its rituals, the smoke from the chimney.
Then, at 18 minutes past six on this warm Rome evening, the chimney came to life again.
Just a few pops of smoke.
Very little compared with what had come pouring out the other times, but unmistakably white.
The announcement of Habemus Papam.
We have a pope.
When Senior Cardinal Deacon Pericle Felici announced the name of the new pope,
most of those in the square couldn't quite catch it.
They had been listening for names like Papalardo or Ursi, Pinedoli or Colombo.