Breaking News: Pope Benedict XVI is to resign – BBC

popebenedictThe Pope is to resign at the end of this month in an entirely unexpected development, the Vatican has confirmed.

The 85-year-old became Pope Benedict XVI in April 2005 following the death of John Paul II.

The reasons behind the pontiff’s surprise resignation have yet to emerge.

At 78, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was one of the oldest new popes in history when elected.

26 COMMENTS

  1. I don’t y those fucking moslems tinks that they are doing d right thing.Y wud a pope join ur blood sucking religion?mohammed was killed by a poison,wen he died he doesn’t even know where he was goin.Y wud I leave peace and join war?I c no reason y a reasonable som1 will leave xtainity and join islam(war).the most popular moslem 2day is Osama bin laden while d most popular xtain is d pope.Can u d diff?In mali,islamic sect,northern nigeria same,iraq,sudan,everywhere islamic sect.I’m yet to hear of a xtain sect killing 4 God.Abeg shut d fuck up

  2. @Ajimati Opeyemi bla bla. How many of your high ranking clerics have joined the world of Islam? And how many prominent people have also seen the truth and joined? But tell me if you have ever heard a high Islamic cleric joining christianity? So, man stop this hatred and face the truth. You are there abusing muslims just because someone wished the Pope the right way. I have seen a former Reverend preaching and showing in many verses of the bible where God mentioned and instruct you to pray (sallat) but you ignored the verses. This is because your fake pastors open churches for money only and think when they allow you the knowledge of the bible you will not waste your time to follow them.

  3. This is the sign of the end time:(… Jesus xt lived by example nd when He was on earth He never stop the work of Is father that sent Him until He died and went to meet God. Hello POPE why resigning from the work of your father while it is still day FOR tHe NIGHT COMeth when no man can work. Be wise POPE…. Dont allow the prophecies of the last days to catch up with you. In the LATTer days the love of many will WAX COLD… Has it started in you! Eternity pope… WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY????

  4. For all of you who don’t know why the Pope is Resigning, it’s because of his Health Reasons @ the age of 85. Think of it; an 85yrs old man leading the whole Catholic World of over 2billion is not that easy, coupled with all the Spiritual & Temporal responsibilities.
    & for those Scared, A New Pope will be Elected before the end of March. No fear the Catholic Church is Still one & Universal.
    I’m very much assured that the New Pope will carry on very much well from where the Present one( Benedict XVI) left. Thanks.

  5. Dis is to all anti-catholics: shame on u if u tink the catholic church wil fall bcoz of pope benedicts resignation. God has said it “u’re peter and on this rock i’ll build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” imagin som1 who cant cary himself around due 2 old age rulin d entire world of catholics.indid his decisn was a gud 1 bcos of his love 4 the church of God entrustd 2 him by God. So sory ma dear critics of our blovd catholic faith,d popes resignatn is due 2 love 4 the church of God and nt due 2 external pressure and it also has ntin to do with d signs of end time. Mind u,he’ll resign 2 the monastry where he’ll live a life of prayer 4 d rest of his life. N/B Watch wat u say b4 u call judgement 2 urcelf!

  6. There is no cause for alarm the Pope is doing the right thing. The Catholic Canon Law, Canon 332 paragraph 2 states that the Pope can resign his position owing to certain conditions that will not enable him to function properly in his ministry. He has sighted health reasons and he is right to resign. Never mind folks it is not a thing unheard of another pope will take over before the end of March and we shall all celebrate him. Hopefully it becomes an African Pope??? God bless us and bless His Church. Amen.

  7. For those who are still in doubt of the Church’s Law, herebelow is the paragraph that gives any pope the right to resign at will.
    Can. 332 §2 Should it happen that the Roman Pontiff resigns from his office, it is required for validity that the resignation be freely made and properly manifested, but it is not necessary that it be accepted by anyone.

    If you also check the history of papacy, he is not the first pope to resign from office. They are almost ten (10) of them that have left office before their death. In fact, one left office to allow peace to reign in the world.

    Long live the Church!
    Long live the Pope!!
    Long live to All Catholics!!!

    God bless you all.