VATICAN CITY : The conclave of cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday, Mach 13, 2013 elected Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as the 266th pope of Roman Catholic Church.

The secret conclave began on Tuesday March 12, 2013 with a first ballot and four ballots were held on Wednesday. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio obtained the required two thirds majority in the fifth ballot.

The choice of Bergoglio, who is the first Latin American pope, 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.”). Pope Francis, 76, appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to signal 115 cardinals had chosen him to lead the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics and blessed the faithful from around the world.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio chose a name Francis, never used before in the church’s 2,000 -year history, signaling that he wants a new beginning for the faith.

Cardinal Bergoglio is known as a humble man who leads an austere and sober life without ostentation, travelling by public transport and living in a small apartment outside Buenos Aires.

Shortly after his election, the new pope Francis I called Benedict, now known as pope emeritus, with whom he will meet in the coming days.