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.

Cardinals returned to the Sistine Chapel on Thursday to resume voting for a new pope and crowds flocked back to St. Peter's Square to await their decision, after the first conclave ballot failed to find a winner during a longer-than-expected voting session.