Argentina's Jorge Mario Bergoglio Elected New Pope

Vatican City: Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina has been elected the Catholic Church's 266th Pope. He is first Latin American to be pontiff, and will call himself Francis I.

After his election Wednesday night, the 76-year-old Pope appeared on a balcony and greeted crowds in St. Peter's Square, BBC reported. He was the archbishop of Buenos Aires.

He asked the faithful to pray for him. Cheers erupted as he gave a blessing.

Earlier, white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney announced the new Pope's election. Crowds in St. Peter's Square cheered and bells rang out as the smoke appeared.

Pope Francis replaces Benedict XVI, who resigned Feb 28 at the age of 85, saying he was not strong enough to lead the Church.

He is the first Jesuit to become pope.

A member of the Jesuits and ordained in 1936 after four years as priest, Bergoglio became head of all the Jesuits in Argentina, Xinhua reported.

After studying in Germany, he became bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992 and archbishop in 1998. A strong supporter of helping the poor, Bergoglio was made cardinal in 2001.

French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran announced the Pope's election with the Latin words "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus Papam" ("I announce to you a great joy. We have a Pope").

In his first address, Pope Francis I told the crowd in St. Peter's Square: "It seems my brother cardinals went almost to the end of the world (to choose a pope)."

Moments after the announcement of his election, he tweeted: "Immensely happy to be the new Pope, Francis I."