POPE Benedict XVI celebrated his first public Mass as the 265th leader of the Roman Catholic Church today, after one of the shortest conclaves in a century sent an unmistakable signal that the church - buffeted by 21st-century problems - is intent on sticking to tradition.

The Queen joined religious leaders, politicians and Catholics across the UK in sending best wishes to the newly-elected pope.

While crowds at the Vatican cheered ecstatically yesterday when the 78-year-old German Joseph Ratzinger made his first appearance on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica yesterday, there was also much celebration among Roman Catholics in York, who expressed their hopes he could bring the Church closer together.

The Diocese of Middlesbrough, which governs the Catholic Church in York and the surrounding area, asked for prayers to be said for Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who has been elected as the head of the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics.

Father Pat Smith, of Our Lady's, in Acomb, said he hoped the new pontiff would "move the Church forward".

"I was surprised by the announcement I have to say," he said. "It was a very quick election. I hope he will try and address some of the real moral issues that trouble people today, and not be over-conservative.

"I think the Church is trying to be more inclusive, and as long as we listen to the world, that's important."

The Very Reverend Canon Michael Ryan, of St Wilfrid's Church, Duncombe Place, said he believed the Holy Spirit had been active among the Cardinals to help them reach such an early consensus. "I am amazed at the speed at which the consensus came," he said. "I think he is a great theologian and I think he will be a very strong leader.

"I welcome the appointment and I do believe the Holy Spirit was active in guiding the Cardinals. This is the man that God wants us to have and I will be praying for him."

At the Bar Convent, in Nunnery Lane, Sister Agatha said worshippers would "just have to wait and see".

"One's initial reaction was one of surprise more than anything else," she said. "One realises the enormously successful time of the last pope - with the whole world behind his work - and Cardinal Ratzinger was his right-hand man."

One of the UK's most senior Catholics, the Archbishop of Liverpool, described the new pope as "wise, profound and humble".

The Most Rev Patrick Kelly, who has met Pope Benedict on several occasions, said: "I am delighted. It is a wonderful choice, he is a man I have met on many occasions and a man of tremendous depth.

"I have always enjoyed being in his company and found him to be a wise person, profound and humble.

"It is very difficult to follow in someone's footsteps but I am sure he will find his own path."

The Vatican's hard-line enforcer of Church orthodoxy under John Paul II for almost 25 years, Cardinal Ratzinger, who detractors point out was a member of the Hitler Youth in his teens, had gone into the two-day conclave in the Sistine Chapel as one of the favourites.

He emerged yesterday as the oldest pontiff in 275 years and the first Germanic pope in almost a millennium.

Buckingham Palace said the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had sent "a private message with their best wishes" to the new pope.

There were warm words from the Church of England, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, calling the appointment significant "to Christians everywhere".

Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, added his support: "We very much hope that he will further advance the respectable relationship between the faith communities built by his illustrious predecessor."

Chief Rabbi Dr Jonathan Sacks said: "We hope he will continue along the path of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II in working to enhance relations with the Jewish people and the state of Israel."

But Christian Aid's Dr Daleep Mukarji urged that Pope Benedict take the problems in the developing world seriously and have a more open attitude to contraception.

Updated: 10:12 Wednesday, April 20, 2005