New Pope

[Paine]

Pope Benedict XVI appeared on the balcony before the crowds

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has been elected as the pope - the head of the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics.

 

Taking the name Pope Benedict XVI, the 78-year-old German appeared on the balcony of the Vatican palace. His arrival was greeted by loud cheers from the many thousands of pilgrims who had packed St Peter's Square as news of his election spread across Rome. He was chosen on the third round of votes by the 115 cardinals meeting to select Pope John Paul II's successor.

 

Giving a short address in Italian to the crowds gathered below the new pope paid homage to his predecessor, and great friend, Pope John Paul II saying: "Dear brothers and sisters after the great Pope, John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me, a simple and humble worker in the Lord's vineyard. The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers. In the joy of the resurrected Lord, we go on with his help. He is going to help us and Mary will be on our side. Thank you,"

 

Clad in white papal vestments and a short red cape, he then delivered the traditional "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to the city of Rome and the world.

 

The new Pope was widely tipped to be one of the front runners in the election, which began on Monday when the 115 voting cardinals were sequestered in the Sistine Chapel for their secret conclave.

 

Pope Benedict XVI, who is the oldest pope for more than a century, was born in 1927 into a traditional farming family in Bavaria, Germany, although his father was a policeman.

 

The future pope's studies at seminary were interrupted by World War II and his supporters say that his experiences under the Nazi regime convinced him that the church had to stand up for truth and freedom.

 

A close friend and confidante of Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI is also known as a fellow conservative.

 

For more that 20 years he was head of the congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in the Vatican - the Vatican's guardian of orthodoxy.

 

[offtopic] GG I made the topic before you !@#$%^&*ers [/offtopic]

[Trained]

I was coming here to start the topic! But yes, Im glad we have a new pope I guess.. I dont know much about politics and religion.

[Vile Requiem]

I know he is a conservative on many issues (the last Pope was too, so there won't be that much of a policy change in the Church). He's also 78, so the "lean pope after a fat pope" adage applies.

[X`terrania]

Alright, let's see...

Pope dies, new one elected, new pope dies after a couple years, new pope elected, so on..

[Dav]

thats pretty much it but the pope does have the power to bring about reforms in the catholic church. I feel that not much will change here as he is conservitive but he can continue John Paul II's work in unification, someting i will very much like to see.