VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI will officially be called “His Holiness Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus” or simply “Roman pontiff emeritus” after he steps down from the papacy on Thursday.
Following Vatican tradition upon the death of a pope, his ”Fisherman’s Ring” also will be destroyed and he will return to wearing his episcopal ring from his time as Cardinal Ratzinger.
These were just two of a series of significant aspects concerning the papal resignation and the following interregnum disclosed by the Vatican today.
Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told reporters the Holy Father had chosen his new title after consulting with others. Contrary to recent reports, he said the Pope preferred not to use the title “Bishop Emeritus of Rome” that some had predicted, including a senior Vatican canonist.
The Vatican disclosed that in retirement, the Pope would also wear a simple white cassock but without the mozzetta (elbow-length cape). And instead of red shoes, he will wear brown ones he was given last year in León, Mexico, a city “famous for beautiful and comfortable shoes.”
Father Lombardi stressed that the Holy Father is “spending these last days in the apostolic palace in a spirit of prayer” and will have no meetings, talks or audiences today. His aides are currently packing his belongings; those related to his office as Pope he will leave behind for his successor, while files from his time as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith are being sorted and packed.
The Vatican spokesman said that Benedict XVI has been receiving “hundreds of messages from all over the world from heads of state, world leaders and others.” Archbishop Georg Gänswein, prefect of the Pontifical Household, is reading a selection of them to him, Father Lombardi said, so that he knows “of the love, gratitude and affection from people throughout the whole world.”
His Final Day
Fifty thousand tickets have been requested for tomorrow’s general audience, the Pope’s final appearance in St. Peter’s Square, but many more people are expected. The Holy Father will be driven around the square so many of the faithful can see him up close, but he will not be having the usual bacciamani — the brief personal greetings that take place after the ceremony — because too many want to personally say goodbye to him.
Instead he will be having a private audience afterwards in the Clementine Hall with a small delegation of heads of state from nations including Slovakia, San Marino and Andorra, as well as Horst Seehofer, minister-president of Bavaria, Germany.
At 11am on Thursday, the final day of his pontificate, the Pope will meet cardinals in the Clementine Hall. After a short address from Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the dean of the College of Cardinals, each cardinal will have a chance to say something personally to the Pope.
At 4:55pm, the Pope will be taken down to the San Damaso courtyard in the apostolic palace where Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and other senior staff from the Secretariat of State will bid him farewell.
He will then be driven to the heliport in the Vatican Gardens where he will take his leave from Cardinal Sodano and others, before boarding the helicopter for the 15-minute flight to the apostolic palace at Castel Gandolfo. There he will be greeted by civil authorities and Bishop Marcello Semeraro of Albano. The Pope will greet the faithful from balcony in the courtyard of the apostolic palace.
At 8pm, the gates will symbolically close and the Swiss Guards will leave the premises as their duty is to protect the Pope - the office that Benedict will no longer hold from that moment forward. However, the Vatican reassured that Benedict XVI will continue to have security protection from the Vatican police instead.
The Pope’s ring and his papal seal are to be destroyed soon afterwards, according to the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis (On the Vacancy of the Apostolic See and Election of the Roman Pontiff), but the exact time is to be determined by the College of Cardinals, the Vatican said.
The Cardinals Assemble
Not until the period sede vacante begins can Cardinal Sodano send a letter to the cardinals asking them to come to Rome.
The Vatican said prelates will not be housed in the Domus Sanctae Marthae residence until the eve of the beginning of the conclave so that the rooms can be prepared. They will be assigned rooms by lot beforehand.
The meetings of cardinals prior to the conclave, called the general congregation, will take place in the New Synod Hall, in the Paul VI hall. During these discussions, the assembled cardinals will prepare for the election of the new Pope, examine the conclave rules and, similar to a synod, discuss the challenges facing the Church.
One of the first and most pressing duties is deciding on whether to move the date of the conclave forward, as allowed in the Pope’s motu proprio, published Feb. 25. Usually a conclave can only start from a statutory 15 days after the death or resignation of a pope.
The Vatican stressed the formal convocation of cardinals is a formality as some are in Rome already, but it still has significance. Father Pius Pietrzyk, a canonist from Zanesville, Ohio, told the Register that the new motu proprio “requires all cardinals to respond to the convoking of the conclave” and that “only those who are unable to attend by reason of illness or other grave impediment are excused.” Moreover, he added, “it is up to the cardinals to decide what that means.”
This may be particularly pertinent to Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien, the former archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, who, along with Indonesian Cardinal Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja, has said he will not be attending the conclave. Although Cardinal O'Brien is ill, his resignation statement suggested he would not be voting due to the media attention his presence is likely to bring on account of allegations of misconduct, allegations Cardinal O’Brien denies.
“What if the Cardinal-Electors decide that is not a sufficiently grave reason? Then they have to wait for him to attend before they can set an earlier vote,” noted Father Pietrzyk, who is currently based in Rome. All voting cardinals, except those legitimately impeded, must be present before they can vote to begin the voting early.
“A cardinal can always refuse to attend,” Father Pietrzyk said, “but unless excused, the cardinals may not vote before the lapse of the 15 days.”
Father Pietrzyk is wary of beginning before the required 15 days as it might add “a degree of ambiguity” to the election.
“If it’s just one cardinal, I don’t think anyone will seriously question the election,” he said, but added, “If we as a Church have learned anything over the last 2,000 years, it’s that we must avoid at all costs anything that would, even in the slightest, question the legitimacy of the Holy Father.”
Edward Pentin is the Register’s Rome correspondent.
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Pope Benedict XVI has proven to be an extraordinarily humble, holy pontiff of rare spiritual and intellectual talents who (in renouncing his authority upon the Chair of St. Peter) placed the needs of the Church above everything. History will remember him as a self-effacing, yet towering figure, whose wisdom and vision penetrated and responded effectively at a critical moment in Church history. We have been, and will continue to be, richly blessed by the selfless influence of his pontificate as we prepare for a “new Pentecost.” “God grant him many blessed years!”
M heart is broken! It is very to hold back the tears for our Holy Father who will always be remembered not only for his brilliance but also for being a humble, gentle, loving, faithful Shepherd.
I pray God continue to guide the church
As I grieved and watched Pope John Paul II dying, I did not think I could love my Pope more. I was wrong. I thank God for the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI. God is faithful and all goodness. He has blessed the Church with these holy men. I join the Church in prayer as we await the election of the successor of Peter and Pope Benedict will always be in my heart and prayers.
I wish him well, hopefully he can be under less stress and may even publish a few more books in the coming years.
I don’t see how a few days can make a difference for the conclave, its not like the olden days. Any cardinal can be in Rome in a matter of hours.
They should start on the 15th and we shall have a new Holy Father before Palm Sunday. To me this is most important that he should be installed and ready for the grueling Holy Week ceremonies. Easter Sunday Mass will be looked upon with pure joy around the world. (the secular press are twisting and turning trying to ‘influence this election’ they still believe the Catholic Church is a secular organization. They can’t even conceive the fact God at the head of His Church. That if it was not it never would have lasted through all the “persecutions of the decades” The press is furious so they try to influence the misinformed and will surprised, like we all will be at who is the next Pope.
By relinquishing the Chair of Saint Peter, Pope Benedict should also relinquish the right to his papal titles and his privilege to wear white. He should revert to being known as Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and wear the red of a cardinal for the remainder of his life. Failing to do so, I fear, will cause confusion and disruption among Catholics everywhere.
Ronald, let’s give Catholics throughout the world a little credit. Here in the United States, we call all former presidents and governors using the title President and Governor and no one as far as I know is confused. We know that President Obama is the sitting president despite having President Clinton, President Bush and President Carter. We still call Huckabee, Governor Huckabee and I don’t think anyone half way conscious still thinks he is the governor of Arkansas.
I will miss Pope Benedict XVI tremendously but take comfort in the fact that the Roman Pontiff Emeritus will be praying for the Church. What powerful prayers they will be!
He may no longer have the authority of the papal office, but he still has the graces offered by it. He is only shedding the symbols that reflect that authority. I think that it is totally appropriate that he continues to wear the white cassock and the name Benedict XVI, Pope emeritus. He is still alive…and we can’t pretend that he was never pope! Benedict XVI is a wise and thoughtful theologian. I trust his decisions on this.
He has been such a gift to the Church. Make God bless this holy man in his service of prayer for the Church.
My confusion is this: is it em-er-it-us or em-er-eye-tis or a-mare-a-tus? Or none of the above? If I bump into him in the Vatican Galleries, do I address him as Your Holiness Emeritus?
I have to agree with Ronald. My concern is this will only feed the talk of scandal and will taint the conclave and next pope. By retaining the title and dress of the Roman Pontiff, this will seen as if Benedict never really left- some one else is just filling in for him. It may inadvertantly undermine the authority of the next pope. It’s just awkward. I hope it does not create a dangerous precedent in the future.
Say, Ron J, what’s the big deal? Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI will always historically be known and referred to as Pontiff. Regardless of title and a white cassock, humility, sensitivity and his judicious judgment will disallow him from becoming a shadow pope as you seem to fear. But it may be likely that there will be some individuals and factions who will negatively speculate on some inappropriate influence. His advice may even be sought by the future reigning pope. Fine, why not? But, when he is retired, his role changes. He will respect that fact. Give us Catholics some credit for understanding and discernment in this. “...confusion and disruption among Catholics everywhere.” seems somewhat harsh.
Tim - thank you for your comments.
Barbara - Presidents and governors are not elected to office for life; the Holy Father is. No pope has resigned in 600 years. During those centuries, all our popes have served until death. If there is some overwhelming reason for his resignation, we have a right to know what it is. Otherwise, it appears as though the father is resigning from his responsibility to his huge family.
Al - With all the turmoil in the Church at the present, the next pope will undoubtedly consult with the man he’s been elected to replace. Time will tell if confusion and disruption lie ahead.
I think the confusion is mostly manufactured. Does anyone really think he is going to show up and demand attention and offer his opinion on church matters? Who cares if he wears white? Who cares what his title is?
I’m not saying none of this is important, I’m saying that declaring that there will inevitably be confusion betrays a lack of trust in Benedict, who will not vote, will not insert himself into papal decisions in any way (unless asked for counsel by the pope). Let’s trust that he will, as he said, remain out of the public eye, not insert himself into matters of the papacy beyond offering counsel to the new pope when he asks for it. How many popes must have wished they could ask their predecessor a few questions!
The many wolves around the Church will be looking for any sign of confusion, any sign of weakness. Let’s not hand fake scandal to them.
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