The symbolic white smoke rises into the air over St. Peter's Square from the Vatican's Sistine Chapel earlier today.  This only means one thing, a new Pope has been chosen.  

There are over 1.2 billion Catholics in the world today and they now have their new "leader".  

115 cardinal electors have been shut inside the Sistine chapel deciding on who the new pope would be.  Some expected a longer waiting period, but after just a day and a half, the vote was cast and passed through.  This means that at least 77 or the 115 cardinals were in agreement and they sent the sign of the white smoke to let the people know they have decided on a successor to Pope Benedict XVI.  

It was a rainy day around St. Peter's Square but that did not stop thousands of curious and faithful onlookers from gathering around in the chance that they might witness a part of history.  When the people noticed the smoke rising from the chapel there were cheers of excitement and shouts of joy over the news being made public.  

The senior cardinal deacon of the Church, Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran, will step out onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and announce in Latin the name of the man elected to lead the faith at any time now.  The assumption is that the new Pope will be named from one of the cardinal electors inside.

After the announcement, the new Pope, dressed in his papal vesture, will give his first blessing to the people.  He will officially take on the title while still inside the Sistine Chapel.

The church will have several issues to discuss which his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI failed to address in the eyes of many Catholics before he shocked the world by becoming the first pope to retire in almost 600 years.