Ratzinger becomes new Pope
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, John Paul II’s closest advisor, has been elected as the new Pope.
Working in the Vatican for 20 years and sharing the former pontiff’s conservative views, the 265th Bishop of Rome has chosen the name Pope Benedictus XVI.
After all the ceremony of the past few weeks, the 78-year-old German’s appointment as new head of the billion-strong Catholic church was a simple affair.
“Dear brothers and sisters,” a cardinal told thousands gathered in St Peter’s Square in Rome.
“I announce to you news of great joy. We have a pope. Joseph Ratzinger.”
His election was announced first by white smoke coming from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel and then by the ringing of the bells of St Peter’s Basilica.
The 115 cardinals responsible for choosing a successor to John Paul II to head the billion-strong Catholic church took almost exactly 24 hours to make a decision, one of the fastest in history.
It was on their fourth ballot inside the Sistine Chapel that they finally reached the two thirds majority required to elect the next pontiff.
The election of a pope is a highly secret affair and the only sign of what is going on inside the chapel is the smoke coming out of the chimney.
There was some confusion this afternoon as to whether the smoke was actually white – it was not until the bells began to ring that it became clear that a new pontiff had been elected.
