By
Philip Pullella
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Pope Benedict XVI
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Pope
Benedict shocked the world on Monday by saying he no longer had the mental and
physical strength to cope with his ministry, in an announcement that left his
aides "incredulous" and will make him the first pontiff to step down
since the Middle Ages.
The
German-born Pope, 85, hailed as a hero by conservative Roman Catholics and
viewed with suspicion by liberals, told cardinals in Latin that his strength
had deteriorated recently. He will step down on Feb. 28 and the Vatican expects
a new Pope to be chosen by the end of March.
Vatican
spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the Pope had not decided to resign
because of "difficulties in the papacy" and the move had been a
surprise, indicating that even his inner circle was 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 child sexual abuse
crises 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.
The
pope told the cardinals that 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."
He
also referred to "today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and
shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith."
The
last Pope to resign willingly was Celestine V in 1294 after reigning for only
five months, his resignation was known as "the great refusal" and was
condemned by the poet Dante in the "Divine Comedy". Gregory XII
reluctantly abdicated in 1415 to end a dispute with a rival claimant to the
papacy.
"NO
OUTSIDE PRESSURE," JUST ADVANCING AGE
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 Benedict 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.
Lombardi
ruled out depression or uncertainty as being behind the resignation, saying the
move was not due to any specific illness, just advancing age.
The
Pope had shown "great courage, determination" aware of the
"great problems the church faces today", he said, adding the timing
may have reflected the Pope's desire to avoid the exhausting rush of Easter
engagements.
There
was no outside pressure and Benedict took his "personal decision" in
the last few months, he added.
Israel's
Chief Rabbi praised Benedict's inter-faith outreach and wished him good health.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Anglican Church, said he had learned
of the Pope's decision with a heavy heart but complete understanding.
German
Chancellor Angela Merkel said the Pope's decision must be respected if he feels
he is too weak to carry out his duties. British Prime Minister David Cameron
said: "He will be missed as a spiritual leader to millions."
The
pontiff would step down from 1900 GMT on Feb. 28, leaving the office vacant
until a successor was chosen to Benedict who succeeded John Paul, one of
history's most popular pontiffs, the spokesman said.
Elected
to the papacy on April 19, 2005 when he was 78 - 20 years older than John Paul
was when he was elected - Benedict ruled over a slower-paced, more cerebral and
less impulsive Vatican.
MEEK
DEMEANOUR, STEELY INTELLECT
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 demeanour 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
travelled 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.
STRING
OF SCANDALS
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 furore.
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.
Source:
Reuters
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