Parish of St. Teilo's with Our Lady of Lourdes

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, was born in Marktl am Inn, Bavaria, Germany on Holy

Saturday, 16th April 1925.

He was elected Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church on 19th April 2005 having ten

days previously presided at the funeral Mass of the late Pope John Paul II.

Cardinal Josef Ratzinger (as the Pope was called before his election) was seen by

many observers as the favourite for election before the commencement of the

Conclave on 18th April 2005. Upon his election on the fourth ballot on the second day

of the conclave, Cardinal Ratzinger is reported to have

said, "At a certain point, I prayed to God ‘Please do

not do this to me.’ Evidently he did not listen to me."

Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estévez announced the

outcome of the election to the waiting world on the

afternoon of 19th April with the traditional ‘Habemus

Papam’ announcement in Latin:

“Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum:

Habemus Papam!

Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum,

Dominum Iosephum,

Sanctae Romane Ecclesiae Cardinalem Ratzinger,

Qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedictus XVI.”

“I announce to you with great joy:

we have a Pope!

The most eminent and most reverend Lord,

the Lord Joseph,

Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church Ratzinger,

who takes to himself the name of Benedict XVI.”

Upon appearing on the balcony of St. Peter’s for the first

time, to cheers from the many thousands of people

gathered in the square below, the new Pope's first

words were:

“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. The fact

that the Lord knows how to work and to act even

with insufficient instruments comforts me and above

all I entrust myself to your prayers. In the joy of the

Risen Lord, confident of his unfailing help, let us move

forward. The Lord will help us, and Mary, his most Holy

Mother, will be at our side. Thank you.”

The Holy Father then gave the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing to

the crowd gathered in the square.

1951: Ordained to the Priesthood on 29th June.

1977: Becomes Archbishop of Munich and Freising on 24th March.

1977: Made a Cardinal by Pope Paul VI.

1981: Becomes Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

2002: Elected as dean of the college of Cardinals in November.

2005: Elected Pope, the 264th success to St. Peter, on 19th April.

For more information, visit the official website of the Vatican.