Photos: The life of Pope Benedict XVI
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Credit: AFP/Getty Images
VATICAN CITY, VATICAN CITY STATE: Picture dated 07 June 1977 shows German cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (R) at the Vatican city next to Cardinals Benelli (2ndR), Gantin (C), Tomazek (2ndL) and Gappi (L). German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was elected 19 April 2005 to succeed Pope John Paul II, was a close confidant of the late pontiff and fellow conservative. The newly elected Pope Benedict XVI, who turned 78 on Saturday, will be expected to maintain John Paul II's deeply conservative line. He has railed against "greed" and "self-sufficiency" within the Roman Catholic Church and rejects any attempt to modernise. AFP PHOTO FILES (Photo credit should read STF/AFP/Getty Images)
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