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Pope to step down
Pope Benedict XVI said Monday he lacks the strength to fulfill his duties and on Feb. 28 will become the first pontiff in 600 years to resign. The announcement sets the stage for a conclave in March to elect a new leader for world's 1 billion Catholics. Posted on February 11, 2013.
This April 19, 2005 file photo shows Pope Benedict XVI greeting the crowd from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica moments after being elected, at the Vatican. Today, he announced he would resign Feb. 28, the first pontiff to do so in nearly 600 years. The decision sets the stage for a conclave to elect a new pope before the end of March.
The icon of Pope Benedict XVI is lit inside St. Paul outside the Walls Basilica in Rome, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI said Monday he lacks the strength to fulfill his duties and on Feb. 28 will become the first pontiff in 600 years to resign. The announcement sets the stage for a conclave in March to elect a new leader for world's 1 billion Catholics. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI, right, and Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals, hug each other after the pontiff announced during the meeting of Vatican cardinals that he would resign on Feb. 28, at the Vatican, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013.
In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI, left, attends a meeting of Vatican cardinals, at the Vatican, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. Benedict XVI announced Monday that he would resign Feb. 28 - the first pontiff to do so in nearly 600 years. The decision sets the stage for a conclave to elect a new pope before the end of March. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)
In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI, center, leaves after attending a meeting of Vatican cardinals where he read a document in Latin in which he announced his resignation, at the Vatican, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013.
New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan speaks to the press in his residence, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, in New York. Dolan says he was as startled as the rest of the world about Pope Benedict XVI's announcement that he will resign later this month due to failing health. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Georg Ratzinger, brother of Pope Benedict XVI , speaks to journalists in Regensburg, southern Germany, Monday Feb. 11, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI said Monday he lacks the strength to fulfill his duties and on Feb. 28 will become the first pontiff in 600 years to resign. The announcement sets the stage for a conclave in March to elect a new leader for world's 1 billion Catholics. (AP Photo/dpa, Armin Weigel)
In this summer 1952 photo provided by the German Catholic News Agency KNA, German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, center, celebrates Mass in the mountains of Ruhpolding, southern Germany. Ratzinger went on to be elected pope in 2005, assuming the name of Benedict XVI.
This mid-1970s file photo shows the archbishop of Munich and Freising, Joseph Ratzinger, who is to be elevated to cardinal by Pope Paul VI. Ratzinger was elected Pope, April 19, 2005 and chose Benedict XVI as his papal name. Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, he would resign Feb. 28 because he is simply too old to carry on. (AP Photo/File)
The Feb. 28, 1982 file photo shows then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, left, testing the sharpness of the sabre of mountaineer Andreas Stadler, right, in Munich. Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, announced Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 that he will resign on Feb. 28. The 85-year-old pope announced his decision in Latin during a meeting of Vatican cardinals. (AP Photo/dpa, file)
The 1935 photo shows the Joseph Ratzinger, second row, third from left, with his classmates of the third grade of the elementary school Aschau am Inn. Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, announced Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 that he will resign on Feb. 28. The 85-year-old pope announced his decision in Latin during a meeting of Vatican cardinals. (AP Photo/dpa, Winfried Ess)
