Pope Benedict XVI suddenly resigns
Surprisingly, the Vatican confirmed that Pope Benedict XVI will resign at 7 p.m. GMT on February 28 (early morning of March 1, Vietnam time) due to his health not being able to handle the job.
This information was announced by Vatican spokesman, Father Frederico Lombardi on the afternoon of February 11, Vietnam time. The Vatican also said that the position of Pope will be vacant until a new Pope is elected.
Father Lombardi also confirmed that the College of Cardinals will choose the next Pope before April 2013. Father Lombardi said: "We will have a new Pope before Easter."
Pope Benedict XVI at St. Peter's Cathedral in the Vatican during the 900th anniversary of the Knights of Malta on February 9, 2013 - Photo: Reuters
It has been more than 600 years since a Pope resigned. In 1415, Pope Gregory XII resigned to end the division in the Vatican when there were two Cardinals claiming to be Pope. The last time a Pope voluntarily resigned was in 1294, when it was Pope Celestine V. It was Pope Celestine V who changed the law, allowing Popes to resign. |
Pope Benedict XVI, 85, said he resigned voluntarily and understood the impact of his actions. Pope Benedict XVI said his health had declined significantly in recent months and he "realized that he was no longer able to carry out the work entrusted to him."
He read his resignation letter in Latin, during a meeting with the College of Cardinals.
It has been more than 600 years since a Pope resigned. In 1415, Pope Gregory XII resigned to end the division in the Vatican when there were two Cardinals claiming to be Pope. The last time a Pope voluntarily resigned was in 1294, when it was Pope Celestine V. It was Pope Celestine V who changed the law, allowing Popes to resign. |
According to BBC reports, many tourists at the Vatican did not believe this information and asked, "Is the Pope sick?". Father Lombardi repeatedly said that Pope Benedict XVI was not sick but just in declining health, which is normal for an 85-year-old.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said the German government "has the highest respect for what the Pope has done in service to the Catholic Church".
"I am really shocked by this unexpected news," Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti was quoted by the Italian newspaper La Stampa as saying. Mr. Monti told reporters that he could not comment further.
Der Spiegel newspaper said that Mr. Georg Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI's brother, had known about the plan to resign for many months.
Israel's supreme rabbi, Yona Metzger, said Israel and the Vatican had their best relationship during the reign of Pope Benedict XVI.
In 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, then 78 years old, was elected to the papacy after the death of Pope John Paul II, becoming Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was also the oldest person to be elected Pope. Pope Benedict XVI is the 256th Pope. He was born in Bavaria, the cradle of Catholicism in Germany. He is the 6th German Pope in history and the first German since the 11th century. Joseph Ratzinger was ordained a priest in 1951 and received a doctorate in theology two years later. He was appointed Archbishop of Munich by Pope John Paul II in 1977 and a month later was made a Cardinal. He served as Archbishop of Munich until 1981, when he was nominated by Pope John Paul II to be Head of the Academic Commission for Doctrinal Faith, a position he held until becoming Pope in 2005. In 2002, he became Cardinal. |
According to Tuoitre - DT
