The Catholic Church has a new pope – 76-year-old Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina. He is the first pope of the Americas.
Cardinal Bergoglio has chosen the name Francis I.
Pope Francis was elected on the fifth ballot in what is described by many as a quick conclave. The winner must receive 77 votes or two-thirds of the 115 voting Cardinals.
Cardinal Bergoglio, described as a dark horse candidate, is viewed as a bold choice for the Catholic church. He has been credited with modernizing and reforming the Catholic church in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he served as Archbishop.
As Pope Francis assumes the papacy, many say he will face a host of challenges, none as big as the sex abuse scandals of the clergy that have rocked the church over the past several years.
