ROME—Pope Benedict XVI sent a telegram of congratulations Wednesday to Barack Obama to hail the "historic occasion" of his election as US president, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said.

The Roman Catholic pontiff expressed to Obama "his blessing so that God will support him and the American people, and that all people of goodwill can work to build a world of peace, solidarity and justice," Lombardi said.

The text of the telegram, sent to Obama via the US ambassador to the Holy See, is not being made public "because it is a personal message," the spokesman added.