Updated 12 February 2013, 0:58 AEST
Pope Benedict XVI has surprised the world by saying 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 the Middle Ages and leaving his aides "incredulous".
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.
"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," the 85-year-old said in a speech delivered in Latin at a meeting of cardinals in the Vatican.
Read more about the life and work of Pope Benedict.
Dressed in red vestments and his voice barely audible as he read from a written text, the Pope made the announcement that he would resign on February 28 in a hall in his residence - the Apostolic Palace next to St Peter's Square.
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said he expected a conclave of cardinals to be held in March within 15 or 20 days of the resignation and a new pope elected before Easter Sunday on March 31.
"The Pope caught us a bit by surprise," Mr Lombardi said at a hastily-arranged press conference.
He stressed that the Pope's decision was his own and was "well thought out" and that "there is no illness that has contributed to it".
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 recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfil 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."
The Pope said he would leave the his ministry at 8:00pm (local time) on February 28.
"The See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is," he said.
The Pope says after he retires he wants to devotedly serve the Church through a life dedicated to prayer.
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.
Radio Australia.
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.
"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," the 85-year-old said in a speech delivered in Latin at a meeting of cardinals in the Vatican.
Who was Pope Benedict?
- Born Joseph Ratzinger on April 16, 1927 in Germany's Bavaria region.
- He was the son of a policeman.
- At the age of 14 he was required to join the Hitler Youth movement.
- He was ordained as a priest in 1951 and went on to teach theology at several universities.
- Pope Benedict was ordained as the 265th pope on April 19, 2005.
- He is the first pope to abdicate since Pope Gregory XII in 1415.
Read more about the life and work of Pope Benedict.
Dressed in red vestments and his voice barely audible as he read from a written text, the Pope made the announcement that he would resign on February 28 in a hall in his residence - the Apostolic Palace next to St Peter's Square.
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said he expected a conclave of cardinals to be held in March within 15 or 20 days of the resignation and a new pope elected before Easter Sunday on March 31.
"The Pope caught us a bit by surprise," Mr Lombardi said at a hastily-arranged press conference.
He stressed that the Pope's decision was his own and was "well thought out" and that "there is no illness that has contributed to it".
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 recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfil 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."
The Pope said he would leave the his ministry at 8:00pm (local time) on February 28.
"The See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is," he said.
The Pope says after he retires he wants to devotedly serve the Church through a life dedicated to prayer.
What happens now? Choosing a new pope.The Pope's leadership of 1.2 billion Catholics has been beset by a child sexual abuse crisis that tarnished the Church, an address in which he upset Muslims and a scandal over the leaking of his private papers by his personal butler.
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.
Radio Australia.
No comments:
Post a Comment