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| Pope Benedick XVI |
Pope Benedict XVI held the
final general audience of his pontificate before approximately 150,000
followers in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday.
In his address the 85 year old, Pope told
the crowd that the decision to resign his position was a difficult one. He also
said his farewell will not be the end of his public life. He disclosed he plans
to devote his time to study and prayer while acknowledging that his election as
pope in 2005 marked the end of privacy.
“In recent
months, I felt that my strength had decreased, and I asked God with insistence
in prayer to enlighten me with his light to make me take the right decision –
not for my sake, but for the good of the church. I have taken this step in full
awareness of its severity and also its novelty, but with a deep peace of mind.
Loving the church also means having the courage to make difficult, trying
choices, having ever before oneself the good of the church and not one’s own.”
“The “always”
is also a “forever” --there is no returning to private life. My decision to
forgo the exercise of active ministry, does not revoke this. I do not return to
private life, to a life of travel, meetings, receptions, conferences and so on.
I do not abandon the cross, but remain in a new way near to the crucified Lord.
I no longer wield the power of the office for the government of the church, but
in the service of prayer I remain, so to speak, within St. Peter’s bounds. St.
Benedict, whose name I bear as pope, shall be a great example in this for me.”
Pope’s resignation which was announced two weeks ago, will take effect
from 8.00 pm on Thursday.
His decision to relinquinsh the leadership of 1.1 billion Catholics came
as a shock to catholic faithful as he is the first pope to voluntarily resign
in six centuries.
He was elected eight years ago. He will hold the title Pope Emeritus and
will retain Benedict XVI.
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