Pope Benedict resigns / Bergoglio is Pope Francis I

by **Feodalist** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:56 am

According to the Guardian;

Pope Benedict XVI is to resign, the Vatican has confirmed.

Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger's papacy began in 2005. This is reportedly only the second time a head of the Catholic church has stepped down.

Sky News is reporting that the pope will leave his office on 28 February.

We'll have all the details and reaction here live.

The news seems to have come as a complete surprise to everyone. My colleague Sam Jones has just spoken to a spokeswoman for the Roman Catholic church in England and Wales, who told him they were looking into reports to establish whether they were true. It seems they are.

Reuters, which broke the news of the pope's resignation this morning, is reporting that the pope has said in a statement that his strength is no longer adequate for him to continue in office due to his advanced age. He says he is resigning in "full freedom" and says he is "fully aware of the gravity of this gesture".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/fe ... e-reaction

The last time a pope resigned voluntary was in the 13th century.

OP's thought; well, the previous Pope held his position till his very death, kind of shame.

by **NERVUN** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:00 am

Doubtful, only odds and ends are saying anything about this.

by **Quebec and Atlantic Canada** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:00 am

What? Resign?

by **Feodalist** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:01 am

NERVUN wrote:Doubtful, only odds and ends are saying anything about this.

Re-check, posted the original message by the Italian ANSA

by **Daynor** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:03 am

Link in OP would not open. Google search shows no news stories. Seems unlikely.

by **Feodalist** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:05 am

Daynor wrote:Link in OP would not open. Google search shows no news stories. Seems unlikely.

ANSA and Dutch newspaper seems to tell otherwise

by **Suevo-Prussia** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:09 am

Daynor wrote:Link in OP would not open. Google search shows no news stories. Seems unlikely.

The German news site Spiegel Online picked it up, too (though their sources are the aforementioned Italian sites). That certainly would be ... unexpected.

by **NERVUN** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:09 am

Feodalist wrote:
Daynor wrote:Link in OP would not open. Google search shows no news stories. Seems unlikely.

ANSA and Dutch newspaper seems to tell otherwise

If this was the actual case though, CNN, BBC, all the major news outlets would be screaming about it.

by **Daynor** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:09 am

Feodalist wrote:
NERVUN wrote:Doubtful, only odds and ends are saying anything about this.

Re-check, posted the original message by the Italian ANSA

Damn, AP just tweeted it.

by **Varijnland** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:09 am

NERVUN wrote:
Feodalist wrote:ANSA and Dutch newspaper seems to tell otherwise

If this was the actual case though, CNN, BBC, all the major news outlets would be screaming about it.

BBC confirms it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-21411304

by **Feodalist** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:09 am

Guardian posted it too

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/fe ... e-reaction

by **Feodalist** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:10 am

NERVUN wrote:
Feodalist wrote:ANSA and Dutch newspaper seems to tell otherwise

If this was the actual case though, CNN, BBC, all the major news outlets would be screaming about it.

Recheck OP

by **NERVUN** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:11 am

Feodalist wrote:
NERVUN wrote:If this was the actual case though, CNN, BBC, all the major news outlets would be screaming about it.

Recheck OP

I stand corrected then

by **United States of Cascadia** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:12 am

NERVUN wrote:
Feodalist wrote:Recheck OP

I stand corrected then

Reuters got it up first.

by **Tubbsalot** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:12 am

um :|

Well, er, good, I suppose? He was a terrible bastard.

by **Quebec and Atlantic Canada** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:13 am

Where'd this come from? :blink:

by **Feodalist** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:14 am

Quebec and Atlantic Canada wrote:Where'd this come from?

Reuters & The Guardian later on

by **Suevo-Prussia** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:14 am

Tubbsalot wrote:um :|

Well, er, good, I suppose? He was a terrible bastard.

Please elaborate how he was any worse than his predecessors?

by **Varijnland** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:14 am

Tubbsalot wrote:um :|

Well, er, good, I suppose? He was a terrible bastard.

Enlighten me

by **Tubbsalot** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:16 am

Suevo-Prussia wrote:Please elaborate how he was any worse than his predecessors?

I wouldn't know whether he was any worse, not having kept up with the Church at any point in my life, but he was definitely an awful person in and of himself.

Varijnland wrote:Enlighten me

Well there was the condoms thing, for one?

by **Quebec and Atlantic Canada** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:17 am

Feodalist wrote:
Quebec and Atlantic Canada wrote:Where'd this come from?

Reuters & The Guardian later on

No, as in, what the hell caused Popey to quit?

by **NERVUN** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:17 am

Here we go: http://en.radiovaticana.va/articolo.asp?c=663815

Wow... the Emperor resigned... I thought he had to be tossed down the Death Star shaft.

by **United States of Cascadia** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:18 am

Quebec and Atlantic Canada wrote:
Feodalist wrote:Reuters & The Guardian later on

No, as in, what the hell caused Popey to quit?

Health issues.

by **Grenartia** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:18 am

Good. Maybe we'll get a more liberal one this time around. Maybe then that'll shut up all the uber-conservative Catholics.

by **Chestaan** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:21 am

Pope Benedict XVI never really struck me as anything special as a pope. I always preferred John Paul II. This is pretty interesting though, it'll be nice to see who the new guy is.

Pope Benedict resigns / Bergoglio is Pope Francis I

Pope Benedict resigns / Bergoglio is Pope Francis I

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