Pope Benedict XVI admitted to German pilgrims today that he had prayed to God not to be made Pope but that "evidently this time He didn’t listen to me".

During a special audience in the Vatican with fellow countrymen who had attended his inauguration, Benedict XVI shed light on his feelings inside the papal conclave for the first time since his election.

Smiling and making jokes as he addressed the crowd in his native German, the Pope told the audience that at one point a fellow cardinal slipped him a note reminding him what he had preached before the conclave, about Christ calling Peter to follow him even where he didn’t want to go.

Benedict said he had hoped to spend his last years living quietly and peacefully.

"At a certain point, I prayed to God, ’Please don’t do this to me'," he told the audience, playfully referring to the votes in his favour as a "guillotine".

He recalled saying to God in his prayers: "You have younger, better, more enthusiastic and energetic candidates." But, he went on: "Evidently, this time He didn’t listen to me."

The former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected pope on April 19 by a conclave of cardinals that lasted just 24 hours, one of the fastest elections in a century. He had gone in as a leading candidate, but at 78 he was considered old to be named Pope.

When he first arrived in the audience hall, he received a hero’s welcome, shaking the pilgrims’ hands and blessing a child who was handed to him. He played to the crowd, telling them: "My roots are in Bavaria and I’m still Bavarian as bishop of Rome."

He apologised for arriving late, explaining that a meeting with Muslim religious leaders and representatives of other faiths had run over time. "The Germans are used to punctuality," he joked. "I’m already very Italian."

The Pope was interrupted several times by applause and cheering during the audience, and he seemed to enjoy the welcome, smiling and laughing.

"Benedict, sent from God!" the crowds chanted. In German, the chant rhymes: "Benedikt, Gott Geschickt."

Pilgrims, some in traditional dress, waved Bavarian flags. Benedict told the crowd he was looking forward to attending the Church’s World Youth Day, which is being celebrated in August in Cologne.

In the crowd was Benedict’s brother, Georg Ratzinger, who is also a priest and travelled to Rome for his younger brother’s inauguration. He received a warm round of applause from the crowd.

Earlier the Pope met church leaders from other faiths, assuring them that he wanted to continue building "bridges of friendship" that he said could foster peace in the world.

Benedict said that he was particularly grateful that members of the Muslim community were present.

"I express my appreciation for the growth of dialogue between Muslims and Christians, both at the local and international level," he said.

The world was wracked by conflicts but longed for peace, he said. "Our efforts to come together and foster dialogue are a valuable contribution to building peace on solid foundations. It is therefore imperative to engage in authentic and sincere dialogue, built on respect for the dignity of every human person, created as we Christians firmly believe, in the image and likeness of God."

The message was significant because the Pope had left out any specific mention of Muslims in his inaugural homily last week.

The Vatican has not revealed which Muslim leaders attended the meeting, which was closed to the press. A Mass yesterday was attended by Saeed Taghavi, of the Iranian ministry of culture, and by the head of Rome’s central mosque and other Italian Muslim leaders.

Pope Benedict also reached out to other Christian churches, repeating his desire to work toward uniting Christians divided by schism.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams was present at this morning's meeting, as was Metropolitan Chrisostomos, an envoy for Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world’s Christian Orthodox Church, and a senior representative of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Kirill. Two dozen Buddhist representatives attended yesterday's Mass.

"I assure you that the church wants to continue building bridges of friendship with the followers of all religions, in order to seek the true good of every person and of society as a whole," Benedict said today.

Later today the Pope is due to pay homage at the tomb of St Paul the Apostle in the southern suburbs of Rome, the first time he has made an official foray outside the Vatican City state since his election.

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