Joyful thousands greet Pontiff

Tens of thousands of joyous faithful cheered and applauded a smiling Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger when he appeared on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica yesterday as the new Pope Benedict XVI.

"Papa! Papa! Papa!", the ecstatic crowd shouted in chorus as the 78-year-old German churchman who succeeds John Paul II smiled and raised his arms in greeting.

People waved umbrellas, flags and posters to welcome the new Pope. Some climbed lamp posts and fountains in the cobblestone square for a better view.

Antonio Sette, 39, had travelled from Bari on Italy's heel with his wife and 10-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son.

"It's beautiful because I have brought my whole family here to see this so that when my children are my age some day, they will remember and tell their children," he said.

Lines of red-hatted cardinals flanked the new Pope when he emerged on the balcony holding his hands aloft.

The Vatican army, the Swiss Guard, marched in formation across St Peter's Square.

"It's awesome. It's unbelievable," exclaimed German student Ralf Geretshauser who came to Rome before the cardinals started their secret meetings in the Sistine Chapel on Monday, electing Cardinal Ratzinger in one of the shortest conclaves in the past century.

Cardinal Ratzinger is the 265th Pope to lead the world's 1.1 billion Catholics. His appointment came 17 days after the death of Polish Pope John Paul II, whose papacy lasted 26 years, the third longest in history.

Amid the joy, there was a long period of anxious confusion before a senior cardinal announced the election of Cardinal Ratzinger.

For more than 10 minutes the colour of the smoke from the Sistine Chapel's chimney was unclear, first pouring out grey before finally turning white. Black smoke signals an inconclusive vote, white smoke the election of a Pope.

The festive pealing of St Peter's bells put an end to the uncertainty and prompted loud shouts of joy.

"I wasn't sure what colour it was but it became clear it was white when it stayed that way at the end and the bells began to peal," said David Bartok from the US state of Virginia.

"It's my last night in Rome. I am lucky to be at the Vatican tonight."