Pope Benedict makes first address

ROME - Pope Benedict XVI gave his first address to the world after being elected as pontiff today.

The new Pope, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, delivered the address in Italian from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica.

The following is a translation of his address given in Italian:

"Dear brothers and sisters,

"After the Great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me, a simple, humble worker in the Lord's vineyard.

"I am comforted by the fact that the Lord knows how to work and act even with insufficient instruments. And above all, I entrust myself to your prayers.

"With the joy of the risen Lord and confidence in his constant help, we will go forward. The Lord will help us and Mary his most holy mother will be alongside us.

"Thank you."

FIVE FACTS ABOUT POPE BENEDICT XVI

* Born in Bavaria, Germany, on April 16, 1927.

* Ratzinger was a liberal theological adviser at the Second Vatican Council but became a conservative after the 1968 student movement prompted him to defend the faith against secularism.

* He was archbishop of Munich before taking over the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1981 as the Roman Catholic Church's chief ideologue.

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

- REUTERS