Pope Benedict to resign

Pope Benedict to resign

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Pope Benedict surprised the world on Feb. 11 by saying he no longer had the mental and physical strength to cope with the demands of the papacy, and he would be resigning his office.

The decision made him the first pontiff to step down since the Middle Ages, and left his aides "incredulous".

. VATICAN CITY, Vatican City. REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito

The 85-year-old, German-born Pope - shown here during a general audience in St Peter's Square in 2012 - said he had noticed that his strength had deteriorated over recent months.

“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,“ Pope Benedict said in a statement.

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A gust of wind blows a red cloth as Pope Benedict XVI leads the Angelus prayer from a window of his private apartment.
. VATICAN CITY, Vatican City. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

A gust of wind blows a red cloth as Pope Benedict XVI leads the Angelus prayer from a window of his private apartment.

A child throws his arms in the air as Pope Benedict waves to the faithful from his summer residence during Angelus prayer.
. CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli

A child throws his arms in the air as Pope Benedict waves to the faithful from his summer residence during Angelus prayer.

The Pope climbs a set of stairs to lead a special audience with the Italian civil protection department.
. Vatican City, Vatican City. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

The Pope climbs a set of stairs to lead a special audience with the Italian civil protection department.

He arrives to lead the weekly general audience at his summer residence.
. CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

He arrives to lead the weekly general audience at his summer residence.

A bishop adjusts Pope Benedict's mantle during the weekly Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square.
. VATICAN CITY, Vatican City. REUTERS/Tony Gentile

A bishop adjusts Pope Benedict's mantle during the weekly Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square.

The Pope looks on as Gregorios III Patriarch of the Church of Antiochthe speaks at the St. Paul Basilic in Harissa near Beirut.
. BEIRUT, Lebanon. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

The Pope looks on as Gregorios III Patriarch of the Church of Antiochthe speaks at the St. Paul Basilic in Harissa near Beirut.

He attends a Mass celebrating the 200th anniversary of the independence of Latin American countries at St. Peter's Basilica.
. VATICAN CITY, Vatican City. Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi

He attends a Mass celebrating the 200th anniversary of the independence of Latin American countries at St. Peter's Basilica.

Pope Benedict posts his first tweet using an iPad tablet after his Wednesday general audience in Paul VI's Hall at the Vatican.
. VATICAN CITY, Vatican City. REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito

Pope Benedict posts his first tweet using an iPad tablet after his Wednesday general audience in Paul VI's Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Benedict leaves Lambeth Palace in the Popemobile.
. LONDON, United Kingdom. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

Pope Benedict leaves Lambeth Palace in the Popemobile.

He leads the Palm Sunday mass in Saint Peter's Square.
. VATICAN CITY, Vatican City. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

He leads the Palm Sunday mass in Saint Peter's Square.

The Pope prays during a Vigil at Marienfeld, a former coal mine.
. Cologne, Germany. Reuters/Pawel Kopczynski

The Pope prays during a Vigil at Marienfeld, a former coal mine.

Pope Benedict is greeted by bishops at the end of a special audience in Paul VI hall.
. VATICAN CITY, Vatican City. REUTERS/Tony Gentile

Pope Benedict is greeted by bishops at the end of a special audience in Paul VI hall.

The Pope waves as he arrives for the Immaculate Conception celebration prayer in Piazza di Spagna.
. ROME, Italy. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

The Pope waves as he arrives for the Immaculate Conception celebration prayer in Piazza di Spagna.

A gust of wind blows as Pope Benedict's speaks during his weekly audience in St. Peter's Square.
. Vatican City, Vatican City. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

A gust of wind blows as Pope Benedict's speaks during his weekly audience in St. Peter's Square.

He wears a Saturno hat as he leaves at the end of his Wednesday general audience in Saint Peter's Square.
. VATICAN CITY, Vatican City. REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito

He wears a Saturno hat as he leaves at the end of his Wednesday general audience in Saint Peter's Square.

Pope Benedict kisses a child as he leaves on his popemobile at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.
. VATICAN CITY, Vatican City. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

Pope Benedict kisses a child as he leaves on his popemobile at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

The Pope leaves at the end of his weekly audience in Saint Peter's Square.
. VATICAN CITY, Vatican City. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

The Pope leaves at the end of his weekly audience in Saint Peter's Square.