Germany celebrates 'great honour' of homegrown pope

BERLIN - Church bells rang out and Catholics across Germany streamed into churches today as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected the first German pope in nearly a thousand years.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder described Ratzinger as a worthy successor to Pope John Paul II and called his appointment a great honour for Germany.

"That the new Pope Benedict XVI comes from Germany, that is a great honour for our whole country," Schroeder said in a brief news conference.

"In Pope Benedict XVI a Pope has been chosen who knows the world church like no one else. He is a great world-renowned theologian. Pope Benedict XVI is a worthy successor to Pope John Paul II."

President Horst Koehler echoed Schroeder's sentiments.

"That a fellow countryman has become pope fills us in Germany with special joy and also with a little pride," he said.

"People have great expectations of you. And I am certain that you will approach them in your very special way, with great wisdom and sureness of faith.

Believers, some crying with joy, streamed into the Frauenkirche in Munich, where Ratzinger was archbishop from 1977 to 1982.

"I was so happy to hear!" said one woman outside the church where worshippers gathered for an evening mass.

"I happened to be outside the church and immediately went in and thanked the Lord that it ended so well, that we have a German pope. Finally!"

Others, particularly younger Germans, were less effusive, worrying about whether the conservative Ratzinger was the right man to take the Church into the modern era.

"Obviously it's great that it is a German pope but whether Ratzinger of all people is the right one to address the issues in the Catholic Church, I'm not so sure," said Gerd Schrodat, among those gathered in a square in front of Cologne's cathedral.

- REUTERS