POPE BENEDICT XVI RESIGNS

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Pontiff, 85, who hasarthritis, says he will stepdown on 28 February afternearly eight years as head of Catholic church
Pope Benedict XVI stunned the world andleft the Catholic church reeling when he said on Monday that he would resign –the first pope to do so since the middle ages.Themove, announced without warning, will take place on 28 February and leave thepapacy vacant until a successor is chosen.A Vatican spokesmansaid the pontiff's aides were "incredulous" when he told them hewould step down because he was too weak to fulfil his duties. The pope summoneda meeting of cardinals to tell them of "a decision of great importance forthe life of the church".



Hissuccessor is expected to be elected by the end of March and possibly for thebeginning of holy week on 24 March. Pope Benedict will honour publiccommitments and engagements until the date of his resignation, after which hewill move to a summer residence near Rome and then to a former monastery withinVatican territory.Benedict,who became the 265th pope in 2005, has arthritis, particularly in his knees,hips and ankles. He had been due to travel to Brazil, the largest Catholiccountry in the world, in July for a youth festival, but concerns had beenraised among Vatican observers about whether he was fit enough.Avoluntary papal resignation is rare – certainly in recent centuries. PopeCelestine V exercised his right to abdicate in 1294. Pope Gregory XII resignedin 1415 to end the western schism.