•Says he no longer has mental, physical strength to cope
Pope Benedict surprised the world yesterday when he announced he no longer had the mental and physical strength to cope with the demands of his ministry, becoming the first pontiff to step down since 1415 and leaving his aides “incredulous”.
A Vatican spokesman said the pontiff would step down from 2 p.m. ET on February 28, leaving the office vacant until a successor was chosen to Benedict who succeeded John Paul, one of history’s most popular pontiffs. The 85-year-old German-born Pope, hailed as a hero by conservative Catholics and viewed with suspicion by liberals, said he had noticed that his strength had deteriorated over recent months.
A Vatican spokesman said the Pope had not resigned because of “difficulties in the papacy” and the decision had been a surprise, indicating that even his closest aides were unaware that he was about to quit.
The Pope does not fear schism in the Church after his resignation, the spokesman said. The Pope’s leadership of 1.2 billion Catholics has been beset by a child sexual abuse crisis that tarnished the Church, one address in which he upset Muslims and a scandal over the leaking of his private papers by his personal butler. In a statement, the pope said in order to govern “…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. “For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter.” Before he was elected Pope, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was known by such critical epithets as “God’s rottweiler” because of his stern stand on theological issues.
But after several years into his new job he showed that he not only did not bite but barely even barked. In recent months, the Pope has looked increasingly frail in public sometimes being helped to walk by those around him. A spokesman for the German government said he was “moved” by the news while Israel’s chief rabbi praised Benedict’s inter-faith outreach and wished him good health. Elected to the papacy on April 19, 2005 when he was 78, 20 years older than John Paul was when he was elected he ruled over a slower-paced, more cerebral and less impulsive Vatican.
But while conservatives cheered him for trying to reaffirm traditional Catholic identity, his critics accused him of turning back the clock on reforms by nearly half a century and hurting dialogue with Muslims, Jews and other Christians. Under the German’s meek demeanor lay a steely intellect ready to dissect theological works for their dogmatic purity and debate fiercely against dissenters.
After appearing uncomfortable in the limelight at the start, he began feeling at home with his new job and showed that he intended to be Pope in his way. Despite great reverence for his charismatic, globe-trotting predecessor whom he put on the fast track to sainthood and whom he beatified in 2011, aides said he was determined not to change his quiet manner to imitate John Paul’s style.
A quiet, professorial type who relaxed by playing the piano, he managed to show the world the gentle side of the man who was the Vatican’s chief doctrinal enforcer for nearly a quarter of a century.
The first German pope for some 1,000 years and the second non-Italian in a row, he traveled regularly, making about four foreign trips a year, but never managed to draw the oceanic crowds of his predecessor. The child abuse scandals hounded most of his papacy.
He ordered an official inquiry into abuse in Ireland, which led to the resignation of several bishops. Scandal from a source much closer to home hit in 2012 when the pontiff’s butler, responsible for dressing him and bringing him meals, was found to be the source of leaked documents alleging corruption in the Vatican’s business dealings, causing an international furor.
He confronted his own country’s past when he visited the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. Calling himself “a son of Germany”, he prayed and asked why God was silent when 1.5 million victims, most of them Jews, died there during World War Two. Ratzinger served in the Hitler Youth during World War Two when membership was compulsory. He was never a member of the Nazi party and his family opposed Adolf Hitler’s regime.
But his trip to Germany also prompted the first major crisis of his pontificate. In a university lecture he quoted a 14th century Byzantine emperor as saying Islam had only brought evil to the world and that it was spread by the sword. After protests that included attacks on churches in the Middle East and the killing of a nun in Somalia, the Pope later said he regretted any misunderstanding the speech caused.
In a move that was widely seen as conciliatory, in late 2006 he made a historic trip to predominantly Muslim Turkey and prayed in Istanbul’s Blue Mosque with a Turkish Mufti. But months later, former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami met the Pope and said wounds between Christians and Muslims were still “very deep” as a result of the Regensburg speech.
Condition for acceptance of Pope’s resignation
It is extremely rare for a Pope to resign. In the Middle Ages, Pope Celestine V resigned in 1294, after only five months as pontiff. He died nearly two years later as a hermit. The last pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII in 1415. There is a clause in Church Canon Law saying that a papal resignation is valid if the decision is made freely and manifested properly. At 78, Benedict XVI was one of the oldest new popes in history when he was elected in 2005.
A piano-playing professor, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was looking forward to retirement when Pope John Paul II died in 2005. He has said he never wanted to be Pope. If he or any of the cardinals who elected him imagined a brief, uneventful reign, paving a transition to a new era, they were to be disappointed. Benedict took the helm as one of the fiercest storms the Catholic Church has faced in decades, the scandal of child sex abuse by priests was breaking.
the pope is a transperent man & simple, he deserves it a man of 78 is not easy to comeby he is a father indeed.
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THE POPE IS A TRANSPERENT MAN & SIMPLE, HE DESERVES IT A MAN @ 85 IS NOT EASY TO COMEBY IN THE CATHOLIC SETTINGS IN SERVICE TO THE WHOLE OF CATHOLICS IN THE GLOBE, I HAIL HIM HE’S A father INDEED.
Plane true talk by the pontiff, I wish you well.
In accordance to the church canon law, if his decision to resign is made freely and manifested properly, there’s no cause for alarm. The supreme pontiff understands his state of being as not having the mental and physical strength to cope so being magnanimous enough to resign is highly commendable.
Am amazed at the reaction and the shock and criticism especially,in Nigeria over the resignation of the pope.What is wrong,in a man being honest enough to quit a job,when he can no longer perform it.The reason he gave is cogent enough,health grounds.People should know that apart from being the head of catholic church ,pope is also the political head of the vatican,with enormous responsibilities .I think is a Nigerian mentality ,resignation is uncommon,here even the few that had courage to resign,the press prefer to write that they are sacked.Let the pope be,there are other possible replacement,after all is by election,just like political parties.
he resign becouse of the ungodly activities pose in the middle east by west and the passage of gay write pass by the western power,therefore remain nigeria to pass it becouse christianity religion believe on right of individuals but forgetting the write of GOD the say dont do it ,its not good.therefore for him to as a supreme leader and his members are endorsing what is wrong to the public is better he resign.
I wish the great catholic Pontiff well. May he live Long. we love him……The Bishop of Rome and Vicar of the holy See.
It is good to resign when your health fails you and when you are incapable of discharging your duty efficiently. Papal you did the right thing by calling it off…..wishing you well.
A song for d pope d royal pope who rule from sea to sea. Whose kingdom and scepter neva shall fail what a valiant king is he…..
Some Nigerians should take a lesson from this.Resign when you are weak & can no longer stress the nerves because it helps you live longer.The young should be allowed to grow into positions of Trust.God keep You Your Holiness
Our Leaders should learn from POPE,,,,,the stupid President of EQUATORIAL GUINEA in Africa has been ruling for 33years and the Son is Chief of Defence Staff,another Son Minister of Interior Affairs……….CATHOLIC BISHOPS are now GAY,having Secret Children all over the World,Fighting to have LADIES BISHOPS,all these were alien to Catholic Church,,,,,,Bishops dont talk of God Laws Again but Human Rights,GAY RIGHTS,,,,FEMALE BISHOP RIGHT,,,,,BISHOPS Should start having Wives and Children,these are the new developments in Catholic Church and you think the OLD MAN is Happy…What will he tell GOD when he died…That in his time,GAY are now wedding in Catholic Church and LESBIANS are now Female Bishops,,,,,,,OBAMA passed GAY RIGHT in America,,,France,Mexico,Russia is battling whether to pass it or not,,,Canada has passed it….Catholic Church has gone Crazy and you think POPE is happy………We have Political Religious Leaders all over the World and not DISCIPLES OF CHRIST again…God said Judgment will start From POPE Himself,so the man is making his way clear before God as he has less than he has spent at 85years……I love you BENEDICT but hate the Politics in CATHOLIC—-ANGLICAN——BAPTIST—–PRESBYTERIAN,you are bundle of Disgrace to the preaching of Our Lord Jesus Christ….
God bless our Pope!
Pope Benedict’s action is a mark of true believer of Jesus Christ and a good lesson to our political and religious leaders that you should understand yourself to know when to allow other to be in a position of authority. This so really a gentle man. May he live long.
Catholicism, anglicanism, baptist churches, presbyterianism, etc. are centered on vanities. They don’t follow the laws of GOD but fleshly desire: gay rights, lesbian rights. Tufiakwa.
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this is another opportunity to send archbishop gbuji to vatican to be apostolic administrator of the world wide catholic church so that he can repeat the same bubuyaya he perfected in benin city. but he will miss the goodies he is enjoying at the moment . . . or will he?
@BILDADO,PRINCE AUDU N JOSEPH GARDNER,ur comments r the most reprehensible,warped,uncerebral n irresponsible. To start with who told u that the people resigned becos gays n worth not, were u in rome? R u catholics? Y commentin on wat u kno nothin about. The pope i saw during xmas couldnt walk on hs own unless suported by two persons flankd one on either side, hs voice is no longer audible,,a pope dat went 4 heart surgery last 3 months. Hs doctors adviced hm to quit becos of growin illhealth,the pope dat broke hs wrist wen he fell inside bathroom last yr august. Haba, u guys r idiotic n warpd in reasonin. By the way who told u that catholic hav gay bishops? Hu ordain bishops? Is not the pope? How can he preach against gay practice n go ahead 2 ordain one as bishop? Every one hu is read kno dat catholic church preach against gay practice, use of condom ,contraceptives n unwholesome family plannin methods, these r fundamentals dat catholic church preach against. That the entire world is ravaged by circularisatn n modernisatn shows the church is not immuned against threats of spiritual tsunami. U guys shud go n examine ur consciences. I c u guys in d gall of bitterness n spiritual retardation.
Those three holigans that commented with brazen immaturity, how did u guys com up with such an unguarded thought provoking senstiment? how much did u kno about the church history n the travails of the church? Is like ur ages that has no brain attachd 2 it is telling on u guys. Even the penticostals that u attend did u kno ha history? Ur so called pastor dat move abt wit exortic cars n fatty household while the members r so so poor hav they told u the source of their powers? They r de ones dat preach abt crossless xtianity. Most of them biuld skuls with tithes, donations n alter calls 4rm members yet the same members cant afford to send their wards in such skuls, wat a shape. The catholic church has pioneerd the church of christ even til this days n hav passed 2ru difikult timz yet the gate of hell cant prevail against ha. Watch out the next pope wil even be more pragmatic n radical in ds tryin moment of our time.long live the pope, long live the holy see,long live the holy roman catholic n apostolic church.long live genuine xtians al ova d world
The truth is yet to be unveiled (Dan. 7 v 25). Sound doctrine must reign in the world
It appeared he was forced into the post!
Over and above, the truth of the resignation of the pontiff is yet to be made known to the world. Therefore commenting on the matter will be premature and effort in futility.
The activities and functions of the Vatican are mostly shrouded in secrecy. But, modern time and age is unwittingly asserting pressure on such age long doctrine of darkness to be very irrelevant and therefore be exhumed and exposed. Such a thing as a paedophile priests existing in Roman Catholic fold used to be kept top secret. Today, it is a known fact that majority of the priests are paedophiles,homosexuals, fathers of children illegitimately and husbands to secret wives.
To say the least, the resignation of the Pope could be as a result of his inability to contend with the recent exposure of the century long kept secrets of the Order. And or the high wire politicking taking place within Vatican to cover up the truth and carry on with the status quo. However, any how you like at it, the Pope’s resignation is ominous.and portends something beyond the present.
I absolutely agree with you except this “And or the high wire politicking taking place within Vatican to cover up the truth and carry on with the status quo” On average the power that that holds sway at the Vatican may be doing some sort of damage control but NEVER to carry on with the status quo because that would be the beginning of the end of the church.
So true @ Emmanuel
Something should be wrong my bros emmanuel, but let’s see what happens later because i know the white people they don’t hasitate to unveil anything thier eyes see. i have been here for 13 good yrs in europe. am sure it will unveil.
Catholic Priest and Child moletation(Homosexuality act).Its obvious that Pope resign because of the preasure mounted on him by the the parents of the children the Cardinals,Archbishops,Bishops,Priest even the the Pope have sexualy molested and defile.Catholic should stop that their Papasy practice and allow their Priest to get married because body no be wound.Gay practice is rampant and common among the Catholic Priest
Catholic Priest and Child moletation(Homosexuality act).Its obvious that Pope resign because of the preasure mounted on him by the the parents of the children the Cardinals,Archbishops,Bishops,Priest even the the Pope have sexualy molested and defile.Catholic should stop that their Papasy practice and allow their Priest to get married because body no be wound.Gay practice is rampant and common among the Catholic Priest.One thing i hate about Catholic people is that they like criticising other churches wen any issue arises but they hide their own issue to the core
@ stine chykee, you might want to get your prejudiced and bogus fact straight. You must undersand that the catholic church has continuously enunciated its uncompromising stands against homosexuality,contraseptives abortions and molestations a Conspicuous proof to that is the provocative manner at which gay activists marched against the catholic church today amidst feral celebrations of the Popes resignation. I am still stunned at the plumb impudence at which you and your genre attacked the Church. And to all who look forward to the fall of the church, I am sorry to burst your bubbles you will be disappointed. Don’t blame me but Christ already said the church is on a rock and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it!!!!