5 things to know about Late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
3. Pope Benedict became the first pope in more than 600 years to resign
While every pope for the past 600 years has served as the Bishop of Rome until they die, Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation from the papacy in a statement published on Feb. 10, 2013.
“After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry,” he said. “I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering.”
Benedict concluded that “in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the barque of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.” At the time of his resignation, Benedict was 85 years old, having assumed the papacy at the age of 78.
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Benedict’s resignation became effective on Feb. 28, 2013, and he was given the title of Pope Emeritus upon vacating the papacy. His successor, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, was elected pope less than two weeks later. Upon assuming the papacy, Bergoglio chose the name Pope Francis.
As noted by the History Channel, Benedict was not the first pope to resign but a papal resignation had not happened for centuries prior to his retirement from the papacy. The most recent pope to resign was Gregory XII in 1415. Gregory’s resignation came during the Western Schism, a time in church history when the Catholic Church was embroiled in a civil war and multiple people representing different factions of the Church claimed to be the pope. Gregory’s departure brought an end to the tumultuous period.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: [email protected]
