Installation Mass of Pope Benedict XVI

Five days after his election, the transformation of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who worked out of sight as the Church's conservative doctrinal chief, into one of the world's most public figures was completed as he was formally installed at an outdoor Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in front of audience of 350,000 spectators and dignitaries from 131 nations.

Accepting two symbols of the Pope's authority, he slipped on the gold Fisherman's ring, ornamented with an image of Peter casting his fishing net. Also as a symbol of the Pope's role of shepherd taking care of his sheep, he put on the pallium – a collar of white lamb's wool decorated with five red crosses, which was pierced by three golden pins symbolising the nails in the cross of Christ.

Twelve followers, symbolising Christ's twelve disciples, knelt and kissed his golden ring vowing loyalty to the Pope Benedict XVI. The ceremony began by the new Pope and his pastoral staff walking to the area under the basilica where St. Peter is believed to be buried. Blessing the tomb with incense and with the choir singing, he paid homage to the first pope.

He appeared and looked out over the square where thousands of pilgrims from every continent, including many from John Paul's native Poland and around 100,000 Germans, applauded and raised their national flags.

Among the dignitaries included German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Queen Sofia of Spain, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the president’s brother was also there, as well as religious leaders such as Metropolitan Chrisostomos, a top envoy for Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of representative of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Kirill.

For the first time "since the Reformation" Britain's Archbishop of Canterbury attended such an event and the Church of England's website stated that there would be also a brief audience with the pope on Monday, where Rowan Williams would lead "representatives from the Anglican delegation in Rome".

During the two hour ceremony, the Pope's first major homily was very exceptional, not mentioning any of current political issues or direct proposals towards Muslims, although he paid respect to all. Using the teaching tone of a pastor, Benedict XVI expressed, "My real program of governance is not to do my own will, not to pursue my own ideas, but to listen, together with the whole church, to the word and the will of the Lord."

"We are living in alienation, in the slat waters of suffering and death, in a sea of darkness without light," he said. "The net of the Gospel pulls us out of the waters of death and brings us into the splendour of God’s light, into true life."

The Pope extended his hand to all Christians and in his 30 minute homily added that "finally, like a wave gathering force, my thoughts go out to all men and women today, to believers and non-believers alike."

Benedict XVI also told, "It is my desire to continue this fruitful work which was started by Pope John Paul II," adding he would "confront this new epoch-making era of mass communications and use it to the benefit of the gospel."

A personal greeting to the head of Rome's Jewish community was one of the first acts by the Pontiff and in a broad message he emphasised his church’s shared bonds with Jews and other Christians and promised followers, and that he would not ignore their voices in leading the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics.

"Let us do all we can, to pursue the path towards the unity," he said. "Grant that we may be one flock and one shepherd. Do not allow your net to be thorn. Help us to be servants of unity."

Benedict XVI, who is the oldest pope to be elected in nearly 300 years, has been suffering from a cold and coughed several times during the ceremony referred to the burden of the job, "And now, at this moment, weak servant of God that I am, I must assume this enormous task, which truly exceeds all human capacity," He turned to the congregation saying in Italian, "my dear friends – at this moment I can only say: pray for me, that I may learn to love the Lord more and more."

The Ceremony that officially launched the pontificate of the 265th leader of Roman Catholic Church closed with Benedict XVI travelling through St. Peter's Square in a white, uncovered vehicle. The event brought huge crowds and required strong security, including anti-missile batteries on alert and no-fly zones over central Rome, but despite the security worries, there was no protective covering around the Pope.