Conventional wisdom sums up Ratzinger as a brilliant doctrinal hard-liner whose close personal and philosophical ties to outgoing Pope John Paul II will ensure continuity in Church teachings.

= He speaks 10 languages, including English, French, Italian and German fluently.
= Reportedly an accomplished pianist, Benedict XVI likes to play Mozart and Beethoven.
= Nicknames include The Panzer Cardinal and God's Rottweiler.

= Opinions vary on why Ratzinger chose the name Benedict XVI. German papers report he chose it because of Benedict XV's legacy of peace, although British papers say the name may have been taken after Saint Benedict, founder of the Benedictine Order. The saint is believed to have done much to preserve Christianity during the Dark Ages.

Last week, between popes, the Vatican issued a stamp that says "Sede Vacante," which means the papal seat is vacant. The city-state's post office and tourist shops around St. Peter's sold the stamps, which were only valid until the new pope was announced.

The election of a new pope on Tuesday took everybody by surprise, I think. News reports had ever so tentatively hinted that the conclave might take some time because Cardinal Ratzinger, the most likely candidate, had many votes, but also some pretty strong opposition.
About an hour after the new pope is elected, he says his first words to the world as pope in the traditional Urbi et Orbi (city and world) speech.

Given less than 300 times in the nearly 2,000-year history of the church, this speech is a rare privilege to hear live in the square.
I dropped the milk and bread I was buying and headed for the nearest bus that would take me to St. Peter's.

It was packed with an odd mix of nuns and teenagers probably just let out of school. As we rode, bells started ringing throughout Rome. Every café and shop owner was tuning in to the radio, and people chatted excitedly.

The bus dropped us off near St. Peter's and the nuns and I literally ran to the square, urged by a priest to "Hurry! Hurry up!

" Thousands of people were making their way past at amazing speed.
Shortly before the announcement, religious music began playing over the sound system, building to a crescendo moments before the appearance of the new pope. A cardinal announced that Cardinal Ratzinger would be Pope Benedict XVI, and a man next to me turned and yelled, "Ratzinger!

It's Ratzinger!"
The speech was short, but electrifying. Even though most of the multinational audience could not understand the words, all eyes were on the balcony.

And up from the square rose the roar, "Benedictus!