Pope Benedict XVI’s final weekly public audience at Vatican City
Masses of pilgrims queued to enter St. Peter’s Square to hear Pope Benedict XVI’s final weekly public audience in Vatican City, Vatican on Wednesday. The Pontiff attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. The weekly event, which would normally be held in a vast auditorium in winter, was moved outdoors to St. Peter’s Square so more people can attend. Pope Benedict XVI had been the leader of the Catholic Church for eight years and is the first Pope to retire since 1415. He cites ailing health as his reason for retirement and will spend the rest of his life in solitude away from public engagements.
- German Cardinal Reinhard Marx poses for a photograph in a packed Saint Peter’s Square where Pope Benedict XVI holds his last general audience, at the Vatican February 27, 2013. (Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters photo)
- A monk holds roses in St Peter’s Square as Pope Benedict XVI holds his last general audience at the Vatican February 27, 2013. The weekly event which would normally be held in a vast auditorium in winter, but has been moved outdoors to St. Peter’s Square so more people can attend. (Max Rossi/Reuters photo)
- Archbishops wait in St Peter’s Square before Pope Benedict XVI’s final weekly public audience on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff has attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. Pope Benedict XVI has been the leader of the Catholic Church for eight years and is the first Pope to retire since 1415. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
- Pope Benedict XVI blesses the crowd at the end of his last general audience in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican February 27, 2013. The weekly event which would normally be held in a vast auditorium in winter, but has been moved outdoors to St. Peter’s Square so more people can attend. The pope has two days left before he takes the historic step of becoming the first pontiff in some six centuries to step down instead of ruling for life. (Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters photo)
- Cardinal Bernard Law (C) of the U.S. attends the last general audience of Pope Benedict XVI in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican February 27, 2013. The weekly event which would normally be held in a vast auditorium in winter, but has been moved outdoors to St. Peter’s Square so more people can attend. (Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters photo)
- The faithful fill St. Peter’s Square as Pope Benedict XVI gives his final general audience Wednesday, February 27, 2013, the eve of his retirement as leader of the world’s Roman Catholics at St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City. (Michael Kappeler/Zuma Press/MCT) ORG XMIT: 1135441
- Pope Benedict XVI speaks to tens of thousands of pilgrims and well-wishers during his final general audience Wednesday, February 27, 2013, the eve of his retirement as leader of the world’s Roman Catholics at St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City. (Michael Kappeler/Abaca Press/MCT) ORG XMIT: 1135441
- People wearing t-shirts reading “Thank you, your Holiness” wait in St Peter’s Square before Pope Benedict XVI holds his last general audience at the Vatican February 27, 2013. The weekly event which would normally be held in a vast auditorium in winter, but has been moved outdoors to St. Peter’s Square so more people can attend. (Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters photo)
- A poster showing Pope Benedict XVI portrait is hanged in front of St. Anthony of Padua Church reading “Thank you holy father” on February 27, 2013 in Istanbul. Pope Benedict XVI will hold the last audience of his pontificate in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday on the eve of his historic resignation as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. (Bulent Kilic/Getty Images)
- Pope Benedict XVI gestures to the crowd in St Peter’s Square on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff has attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
- Pope Benedict XVI kisses a child as he arrives in St Peter’s Square for his final general audience on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
- Pope Benedict XVI waves to the faithful as he leaves St Peter’s Square at the end of his final general audience on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
- A nun takes a photograph in St Peter’s Square before Pope Benedict XVI’s final weekly public audience on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff has attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. Pope Benedict XVI has been the leader of the Catholic Church for eight years and is the first Pope to retire since 1415. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
- Nuns attend Pope Benedict XVI’s final general audience in St Peter’s Square before his retirement on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff has held his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
- Archbishops (purple hats) and cardinals (red hats) wait in St Peter’s Square before Pope Benedict XVI’s final weekly public audience on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
- Pope Benedict XVI kisses a child as he arrives in St Peter’s Square for his final general audience on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
- Pope Benedict XVI waves to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Squareduring his final general audience on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
- Pope Benedict XVI waves to the faithful as he leaves St Peter’s Square at the end of his final general audience on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
- A nun holds her rosary beads as she attends Pope Benedict XVI’s final general audience in St Peter’s Square before his retirement on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
- Pope Benedict XVI waves as he leaves in his papamobile at the end of his last weekly audience on February 27, 2013 at St Peter’s square at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI will hold the last audience of his pontificate in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday on the eve of his historic resignation as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. (Gabriel Bouys/Getty Images)
- Nuns attend Pope Benedict XVI’s final general audience in St. Peter’s Square on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
- Pope Benedict XVI waves to the faithful as he arrives in St. Peter’s Square for his final general audience on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
- A sign reading “Thank you” in Italian is held in St Peter’s Square as Pope Benedict XVI holds his last general audience at the Vatican February 27, 2013. The weekly event which would normally be held in a vast auditorium in winter, but has been moved outdoors to St. Peter’s Square so more people can attend. The pope has two days left before he takes the historic step of becoming the first pontiff in some six centuries to step down instead of ruling for life. (Max Rossi/Reuters photo)
- Pope Benedict XVI waves to the faithful as he arrives in St. Peter’s Square for his final general audience on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
- Pope Benedict XVI travels in the Popemobile through St Peter’s Square on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff has attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
- Pope Benedict XVI travels through the crowd in the popemobile in St Peter’s Square on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff will hold his last weekly public audience later before he abdicates tomorrow. (Carsten Koall/Getty Images)
- A Swiss guard stands in front of the Vatican as Pope Benedict XVI delivers his final general audience in St Peter’s Square before his retirement on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff has held his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
- A faithful holds a rosary on St Peter’s square ahead of Pope Benedict XVI last weekly audience on February 27, 2013 at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI will hold the last audience of his pontificate in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday on the eve of his historic resignation as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. (Gabriel Bouys/Getty Images)
- Faithful waves flags from Bavaria during Pope Benedict XVI’s last weekly audience on February 27, 2013 at St Peter’s square at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI will hold the last audience of his pontificate in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday on the eve of his historic resignation as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. (Filippo Monteforte/Getty Images)
- Thousands gather in St Peter’s Square as Pope Benedict XVI attends his last weekly audience in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff has attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. Pope Benedict XVI has been the leader of the Catholic Church for eight years and is the first Pope to retire since 1415. He cites ailing health as his reason for retirement and will spend the rest of his life in solitude away from public engagements. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Pope speaks of “rough seas” of papacy at emotional farewell
Philip Pullella | Reuters
9:56 a.m. EST, February 27, 2013
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Benedict bid an emotional farewell at his last general audience on Wednesday, acknowledging the “rough seas” that marked his papacy “when it seemed that the Lord was sleeping.”
In an unusually public outpouring for such a private man, he alluded to some of the most difficult times of his papacy, which was dogged by sex abuse scandals, leaks of his private papers and reports of infighting among his closest aides.
“Thank you, I am very moved,” Benedict told a cheering crowd of more than 150,000 people in St Peter’s Square a day before he becomes the first pope to step down in some six centuries.
He said he had great trust in the Church’s future, that his abdication was for the good of the Church and asked for prayers for cardinals choosing his successor at a time of crisis.
The Vatican said the address, repeatedly interrupted by applause and cries of “Benedict, Benedict” – was the last by the pope, who as of Thursday evening will have the title “pope emeritus.”
“There were moments of joy and light but also moments that were not easy … there were moments, as there were throughout the history of the Church, when the seas were rough and the wind blew against us and it seemed that the Lord was sleeping,” he said.
When he finished the crowd, which spilled over into surrounding streets and included many of the red-hatted cardinals who will elect his successor in a closed doors conclave next month, stood to applaud.
“I took this step in the full knowledge of its gravity and rarity but with a profound serenity of spirit,” he said, as people in the crowd wave supportive banners and national flags.
Loving the Church meant, “having the courage to take difficult and anguished choices, always having in mind the good of the church and not oneself,” he said.
The pope says he is too old and weak to continue leading a Church beset by crises over child abuse by priests and a leak of confidential Vatican documents showing corruption and rivalry among Vatican officials.
He said he was not “coming down from the cross” but would serve the Church through prayer.
Some of those who have faulted Benedict for resigning have pointed to the late Pope John Paul, who said he would “not come down from the cross” despite his bad health because he believed his suffering could inspire others.
CyprianTansi Okafor
Feb 28, 2013 @ 00:00:14
To make a decision is what one should be more careful with. Catholics always pray 1 Hail Mary… 1 Our Father… And 1 Glory be to… for the intentions of the Holy Father at the end of the Stations of the Cross.
Pope Benedict XVI did resign because of ill health and for the good of the church. If someone he trusted could leak document, then, who has he to rely on?
Media should learn to have a reserved respect for the Pope. Media should seize to mark herself as fearless and boundless.
Long live Benedict XVI!
Long live the new Pope!
Long live the Mother Church!
Farewell to Benedict XVI!