By Joshua McElwee, Crispian Balmer and Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel and the bells of St. Peter's rang out on Thursday, signalling that cardinals have elected a new pope to succeed Pope Francis and take charge of the Roman Catholic Church.

The conclave to select the next pope has begun after Catholic cardinals from across the world filed into the Sistine Chapel Wednesday before sealing themselves inside.

More than 130 Catholic cardinals on Wednesday began the secretive, centuries-old ritual to elect a successor to Pope Francis, opening the most geographically diverse conclave in the faith’s 2,000-year history.