February 28, 2013

Benedict XVI formally abdicates as pope of the Roman Catholic Church and left the Vatican for Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence southeast of Rome. Before leaving, he met with the College of Cardinals and promised “unconditional obedience and reverence” to his eventual successor.

An estimated 150,000 people packed into St. Peter’s Square yesterday to attend Benedict’s final general audience. He stated that his papacy had been “a heavy burden,” but he accepted that burden as God’s will. He has, in his nearly eight years in office, known “moments of joy and light but also moments that were not easy” when it seemed “the Lord was sleeping.” He asked the more than 1 billion Roman Catholics throughout the world to pray for him “and for the new pope.”

Benedict XVI blesses a crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. (© Arturo Mari, Getty Images)

Benedict’s papacy was often mired in controversy. An ever-expanding clerical sex abuse scandal undermined his status as a highly regarded teacher and theologian. Vatican investigations into women’s religious orders in the United States angered many American Catholics.  Vatican officials voiced concern over the adherence of American nuns to church doctrine, in particular their advocating for political action, for the ordination of women, and for greater acceptance of homosexuals.

Benedict XVI will eventually retire–”hidden to the world” in his words–to a former convent within the Vatican. On March 4, the College of Cardinals will meet in a general congregation to set a date for the start of a conclave to elect Benedict’s successor. The electors consist of 115 cardinals (those cardinals younger than 80 years old), 67 of whom were appointed by Benedict XVI and the rest by his predecessor John Paul II.

Additional World Book articles:

• Pope
• Roman Catholic Church 2006 (a Back in Time article)
• Roman Catholic Church 2010 (a Back in Time article)
• John Paul II 1920-2005 (a special report)

February 11, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI summoned a meeting of cardinals in Vatican City and announced that he would step down from his role as leader of the Roman Catholic Church and its 1.2 billion members on February 28, 2013. The pontiff stated that his age and deteriorating strength no longer permitted him to perform his papal duties.  Vatican officials and Roman Catholics around the world were stunned by the news. Centuries have elapsed since a pope resigned from office. The last was Gregory XII, who left office under pressure in 1415 to end what is known as the Great Schism–a period of civil war within the church when three different men each claimed to be pope. The last voluntary resignation by a pope was even longer ago, when Celestine V abdicated in 1294.

After Benedict’s resignation takes effect, cardinals will gather at a conclave in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.  Of the 118 cardinals currently eligible to vote, two-thirds of them must agree on a candidate for that man to become pope. Church officials hoped that a new pope could be chosen by Easter (March 31) of 2013.

Benedict XVI at his inaugural Mass in St. Peter's Square in 2005 (© Franco Origlia, Getty Images)

Benedict had served as pope for fewer than eight years. Born Joseph Ratzinger in Germany in 1927, he was appointed as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 1977.

He was elected the 265th pope in 2005 and took the name of Benedict. At age 78, he was one of the oldest men elected to the papacy. Benedict held office during a difficult time in the history of the modern church. His papacy was dogged by controversy, particularly the sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic clergy members. When he was a cardinal, Benedict had been head of the church’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the office that oversees such priestly abuse. As pope, Benedict apologized for any harm done to children abused by Catholic clergy.

Additional World Book articles:

• Roman Catholic Church
• John Paul II 1920-2005 (a special report)

Another website of interest:

• Vatican: The Holy See