Brother of new pope shocked by the choice

REGENSBURG, Germany - The older brother of the new pope, who said only weeks ago that German cardinal Joseph Ratzinger "has not got a chance" of becoming the next pontiff, was stunned by the choice Tuesday.
"He sank before the television and isn't saying a word," said the housekeeper of the 81-year-old prelate, Georg Ratzinger, Agnes Heindl.
"I've never seen him like this," she said.
Heindl said that Georg Ratzinger was now concerned he would see his 78-year-old brother even less often than before.
He told the Abendzeitung newspaper earlier this month that his brother would never succeed John Paul II as pontiff.
His age would count against him, he said, adding "I cannot imagine that a German would be elected pope."

04/19/2005 18:30 GMT