The pope to pray for President-elect Obama

Pope Benedict XVI has promised to hold prayers for the new president-elect of the United States of America, Barack Obama, son of a Kenyan man, for God to assist him in his “weighty responsibilities at the service of the nation and the international community.

The pope said this in a telegram sent through the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Mary Ann Glendon, to Obama who won Tuesday's presidential election.

According to Zenit, the pope encouraged the new president-elect to “build a world of peace, solidarity and justice.”

The telegram expressed the pontiff's wish that the abundant blessings of the Lord "support you and the people of the United States in your efforts, together with all men and women of good will, to build a world of peace, solidarity and justice."

The pope's secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, also sent a telegram to the future president, Jesuit Fr Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office said.

Fr Lombardi also commented that "the task of the president of the US is an immense task with very great responsibility, not only for his country, but for the entire world, given the weight of the US in every field on the international scene."

"That's why all of us hope that the new President, Obama responds to these expectations and the hopes that are confided in him, efficiently serving law and justice, and finding adequate paths to promote peace in the world, favouring persons' development and dignity in respect of essential human and spiritual values," he added. "Believers pray so that God enlightens him and helps him in his most weighty responsibility."

Fr Lombardi said the pope will send another message to Obama when he is inaugurated in January.

Meanwhile, Catholic prelates have offered their congratulations to President-elect, praying for his wisdom in governance. Noting the historic character of his election, the bishops also ask Obama to protect the life and dignity of every human person, CNA reports.

Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago and President of the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), congratulated Obama on behalf of the bishops.

"I write to you, in my capacity as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, to express our congratulations on your historic election as President of the United States. The people of our country have entrusted you with a great responsibility. As Catholic Bishops, we offer our prayers that God give you strength and wisdom to meet the coming challenges.

"Our country is confronting many uncertainties. We pray that you will use the powers of your office to meet them with a special concern to defend the most vulnerable among us and heal the divisions in our country and our world. We stand ready to work with you in defence and support of the life and dignity of every human person.”

Archbishop of Washington Donald W. Wuerl asked the faithful of the archdiocese to pray for the President-elect Obama.

"We recognize that this election of the first African-American president is an historic moment in our nation's history and we rejoice with the rest of our nation in the significance of this time,” he said.

Obama is the first US African-American man to be elected president in the greatest and most powerful nation in the world known for its opportunities for all.

His victory was celebrated the world over with Kenya declaring Thursday a public holiday in honour of the 44th US President.

His Republican rival Senator John Mcain accepted defeat saying, “I deeply admire and commend Mr Obama.” McCain called for his supporters to lend the next president their goodwill and support.