Little change as Pontiff names upper echelon

Pope Benedict signalled his papacy would bring no swift change in the Catholic Church, as details emerged of how he swept to an overwhelming victory in a secret conclave.

Benedict, a close conservative doctrinal ally of his predecessor John Paul, sounded a note of continuity on the third day of his reign, confirming top Vatican posts.

The new Pontiff, German Joseph Ratzinger, reappointed Cardinal Angelo Sodano, 77, as secretary of state, the Vatican's number two job and a position the Italian has held since 1990.

Cardinals and archbishops running other departments in the Curia, or central Vatican bureaucracy, were also reinstated.

In another sign he intended to follow in the footsteps of Pope John Paul, who was the first Pontiff to set foot in a synagogue and did much to help heal the historical rift with Christians, Benedict sent a message to Rome's chief rabbi.

"I confide in the help of the Almighty to continue the dialogue and strengthen the cooperation with the sons and daughters of the Jewish people," Pope Benedict told Italian news agency ANSA.

As Benedict, 78, settled into power as head of the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics, interviews and leaks from conclave cardinals made clear that he had built up strong momentum even before the election began and outmanoeuvred moderate opposition. Although Ratzinger started the conclave as favourite, many experts had said he was too divisive and too old to win.

But his election in one of the swiftest conclaves in a century suggested he decisively consolidated his position in the first three votes before winning the fourth on Tuesday.

Italian newspapers agreed that Ratzinger garnered well over the two thirds, or 77, votes he needed from the 115 voting cardinals. Some suggested he won more than 100.

The election seemed to indicate that the cardinals were more worried about declining faith in Europe - a particular concern of Ratzinger - than the problems of the developing world, where two thirds of Catholics live.

- REUTERS