Pope Benedict resigns due to ill health
Pope Benedict XVI today announced his resignation due to ill health, sending shockwaves around the world.
He is the first head of the Catholic Church to resign in almost 600 years when he steps down on February 28, and the Vatican said his departure would leave the post temporarily vacant.
The 85-year-old's decision, after almost eight years in office, sets the stage for a conclave to elect a new Pope before the end of March. Prime Minister David Cameron led tributes to the outgoing Pope while MP for the Wrekin, Mark Pritchard, said today's announcement was totally unexpected.
The Pope, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, revealed his decision in Latin at a meeting of Vatican cardinals today.
He emphasised that carrying out the duties of the role – as leader of more than a billion Roman Catholics worldwide – required 'both strength of mind and body' which he said had deteriorated in the 'last few months'.
The last Pope to resign was Gregory XII in 1415 as part of a deal to end the Great Western Schism among competing papal claimants. A conclave to elect a new Pope will be held by mid-March, since the traditional mourning time that would follow the death of a Pope will not be observed.
Contenders to succeed Benedict include Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, the archbishop of Vienna, and Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the Canadian head of the Vatican's office for bishops.
The Pope's brother, Georg Ratzinger, said the Pontiff had been advised by his doctor not to take any more transatlantic trips and had been considering stepping down for months. He said his brother was having increasing difficulty walking.
Mr Cameron paid tribute to Pope Benedict. "He has worked tirelessly to strengthen Britain's relations with the Holy See," he said. "He will be missed as a spiritual leader to millions."
Mark Pritchard MP, vice chairman of the parliamentary group for the Holy See, said: "There was no sign of any fragility when I last met him, in how he spoke and moved around. Clearly this is something he feels he needs to do and now we will all wait for the white smoke."
Canon Stephen Coonan, Dean of Shrewsbury Cathedral, said the announcement was made just before he took Mass today and 'came as a surprise'.
The Anglican Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu said Pope Benedict XVI was a 'great theologian with great spiritual depth'.
The new Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, said he greeted Pope Benedict's decision with a 'heavy heart but complete understanding'.
