Conservative German elected pope

VATICAN CITY - Cardinals have elected conservative German prelate Joseph Ratzinger as the new leader of the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics, succeeding Pope John Paul II.

Ratzinger, 78, the Church's 265th pontiff, will take the name of Benedict XVI.

Pope John Paul died on April 2.

The speed and result of the election were both a surprise.


Many Vatican experts had said Ratzinger, John Paul's doctrinal watchdog for 23 years, was too divisive and too old to become pope.

They predicted he would have to cede to a more conciliatory compromise figure.

His election indicated both that the cardinals wanted to maintain John Paul's strict Church orthodoxy and also to have a short papacy after the Polish pope's 26-year reign -- the third longest in Church history.

The new pope appeared on the balcony of St Peter's soon after his election, smiling broadly and greeting the crowds in the square. "I entrust myself to your prayers," he said.

Clad in white papal vestments and a short red cape, he then delivered his first blessing to the city of Rome and the world.

Ratzinger's stern leadership of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, the modern successor to the Inquisition, delighted conservative Catholics but upset moderates and other Christians whose churches he described as deficient.

Born in Bavaria on April 16, 1927, Ratzinger was a leading theology professor and then archbishop of Munich before taking over the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1981.

The election on only the second day of a conclave in the Vatican's frescoed Sistine Chapel was signalled by white smoke from the chapel chimney and the tolling of the bells of St. Peter's Basilica.

But there was 10 minutes of confusion over the colour of the smoke, which initially seemed grey, before the bells began pealing to signal the successful election.

Black smoke signals an inconclusive vote.

Even Vatican radio had initially said the colour of the smoke was unclear.

Tens of thousands of people in the square cheered and applauded even before the bells began to ring, shouting "A pope, a pope!" Many held up crosses or flags.

Hundreds more people flooded into the square when they heard the news.

"I knew (the smoke) was white! We have a new pope," said 19-year-old Silvia Cirello, standing on top of a plastic chair to get a better view.

A group of priests and nuns shouted, "Papa! Papa! Papa!".

It was only the third time in a century that a pope had been chosen on the second day of a conclave.

The 115 red-robed cardinals from 52 countries who were eligible to elect a new pontiff started their secret meeting on Monday. Three earlier votes had been inconclusive.

Ratzinger won a two-thirds majority or at least 77 votes to become pope.

The election came much more quickly than most Vatican experts had predicted. They had expected the new pope to emerge on Wednesday or Thursday local time.

The director-general of Vatican Radio, Father Pasquale Borgomeo, said he was surprised that the cardinals had elected a new pope after only two days in the conclave.

"I am positively surprised," Borgomeo said. "The Church is no longer an orphan."

The 20th century's eight conclaves lasted from two to five days, with the average just over three days.

Earlier on Tuesday both experts and bookmakers had said Ratzinger's candidacy was weakening.

As John Paul's doctrinal watchdog, Ratzinger disciplined Latin American "liberation theology" theologians, denounced homosexuality and gay marriage and pressured Asian priests who saw non-Christian religions as part of God's plan for humanity.

In a document in 2000, he branded other Christian churches as deficient -- shocking Anglicans, Lutherans and other Protestants in ecumenical dialogue with Rome for years.

As dean of the College of Cardinals, he presided over John Paul's funeral Mass and the daily meetings of cardinals to discuss the next papacy.

Ratzinger was the oldest cardinal to be named pope since Clement XII, who was also 78 when he became pope in 1730. He is the first German pope since Victor II (1055-1057).

Before the conclave door shut on Monday, Ratzinger made a final appeal to his fellow electors to protect traditional teachings and to shun the "dictatorship of relativism".

Ratzinger made no mention of the challenges that other cardinals and ordinary Catholics say should top the agenda such as poverty, Islam, science, sexual morality and Church reform.

- REUTERS