MOBILE, Alabama -- Bells rang out at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Mobile, signaling the election of a new pontiff to replace retired Pope Benedict XVI.
The choice is Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina -- the first pope from South America as well as the first Jesuit.
At 6:30 p.m. Rome time, the Rev. Msgr. Michael Farmer, former vicar general of the Archdiocese of Mobile, was waiting at the Pontifical North American College, which overlooks St. Peter's Basilica, to watch for smoke.
"If it's white smoke, I will take the 10-minute walk to the square and see the new pope come out and then back here to the college, where we offer prayers of thanksgiving and help with media interviews."
If it's black smoke, he said, "Well, I am going to a pizzeria."
No pizza tonight for Msgr. Farmer.
White smoke billowed from the chimney at the Vatican on the second day of voting, and the fifth ballot, Wednesday evening, signalling an end to the conclave held to elect a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.
CNN footage from Rome showed St. Peter's Square filled with observers erupting in emotion as they held umbrellas in the rain. Temperatures were in the mid-40s, reports showed.
They were awaiting the new pope's first appearance -- and the announcement of the name of the 266th pope -- as local time closed in on 8 p.m.
Bergoglio was not among the top contenders named by the New York Times recently. The Times listed Timothy Dolan, 63, of the United States; Peter Erdo, 60, of Hungary; Sean O'Malley, 68, of the United States; Marc Ouellet, 68, of Canada; Leonardo Sandri, 69, of Argentina; Odilo Pedro, 63, of Brazil; Angelo Scola, 71, of Italy; and Luis Antonio Tagle, 55, of the Philippines.
Carol McPhail is on Facebook and Twitter.