VATICAN CITY (April 19) – Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, the Roman Catholic Church’s leading hard-liner, was elected pope Tuesday in the first conclave of the new millennium. He chose the name Benedict XVI and called himself ”a simple, humble worker.”Ratzinger, the first German pope in centuries, emerged onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, where he waved to a wildly cheering crowd of tens of thousands and gave his first blessing. Other cardinals clad in their crimson robes came out on other balconies to watch him after one of the fastest papal conclaves of the past century.
“Dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me – a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord,” he said after being introduced by Chilean Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estivez.
“The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers,” the new pope said. ”I entrust myself to your prayers.”
The crowd responded to the 265th pope by chanting ”Benedict! Benedict!”
Ratzinger turned 78 on Saturday. His age clearly was a factor among cardinals who favored a ”transitional” pope who could skillfully lead the church as it absorbs John Paul II’s legacy, rather than a younger cardinal who could wind up with another long pontificate.
The new pope is the oldest elected since Clement XII, who was chosen in 1730 at 78 but was three months older than Ratzinger.
Cardinals also had faced a choice over whether to seek a younger, dynamic pastor and communicator – perhaps from Latin America or elsewhere in the developing world where the church is growing.
Ratzinger is the first Germanic pope in nearly 1,000 years. There were at least three German popes in the 11th century.
Benedict XVI decided to spend the night at the Vatican hotel, the Domus Sanctae Marthae, and to dine with the cardinals, said Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls. He was to preside over a Mass on Wednesday morning in the Sistine Chapel and will be formally installed on Sunday at 10 a.m. (4 a.m. EDT).
Ratzinger served John Paul II since 1981 as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In that position, he has disciplined church dissidents and upheld church policy against attempts by liberals for reforms.
He had gone into the conclave with the most buzz among two dozen leading candidates. He had impressed many faithful with his stirring homily at the funeral of John Paul II, who died April 2 at age 84.
President Bush called him a ”man of great wisdom and knowledge.”
”We remember well his sermon at the pope’s funeral in Rome, how his words touched our hearts and the hearts of millions,” Bush said. ”We join with our fellow citizens and millions around the world who pray for continued strength and wisdom as His Holiness leads the Catholic Church.”
The bells rang after a confusing smoke signal that Vatican Radio initially suggested was black but then declared was too difficult to call. White smoke is used to announce a pope’s election to the world.
It was one of the fastest elections in the past century: Pope Pius XII was elected in 1939 in three ballots over two days, while Pope John Paul I was elected in 1978 in four ballots over two days. The new pope was elected after either four or five ballots over two days.
“It’s only been 24 hours, surprising how fast he was elected,” Vatican radio said.
After the smoke appeared, pilgrims poured into the square, their eyes fixed on the burgundy-draped balcony. Pilgrims said the rosary as they awaited the name of the new pope and prelates stood on the roof of the Apostolic Palace, watching as the crowd nearly doubled in size.
Niels Hendrich, a 40-year-old salesman from Hamburg, Germany, jumped up and down with joy and called his father on a cell phone before Ratzinger was announced. ”Habemus papam!” he shouted into the phone, using the Latin for, ”We have a pope.”
In the pope’s hometown of Traunstein, Germany, a room full of 13-year-old boys at St. Michael’s Seminary that Ratzinger attended jumped up and down, cheered and clapped as the news was announced.
“It’s fantastic that it’s Cardinal Ratzinger. I met him when he was here before and I found him really nice,” said Lorenz Gradl, 16, who was confirmed by Ratzinger in 2003.
Antoinette Hastings, from Kent Island, Md., rose from her wheelchair, grasping her hands together and crying. She has artificial knees, making it tough to stand.
“I feel blessed, absolutely blessed,” she said. ”I just wish the rest of my family were here to experience this with me.”