Overview
Pope Benedict XVI’s Resignation refers to the announcement made by the Vatican in February of 2013 that Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger would step down from his papacy as Pope Benedict XVI. The pope’s resignation was widely reported in online news media and sparked conversations on various social networking and microblogging services.
Background
On February 11th, 2013, the Italian news site Ansa[1] reported that Pope Benedict XVI would resign by the end of the month due to age-related health issues. The same day, the Vatican released the full text of the pope’s resignation on the Radio Vaticana[8] website:
Dear Brothers,
I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.
I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the barque of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.
Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.
Bendict XVI’s resignation was the first time a Pope had voluntarily left the papacy since Gregory XII in 1415, who quit to end a civil war in the church.
Notable Developments
News Media Coverage
On February 11th, 2013, the Vatican’s announcement was reported by several news media outlets, including The BBC,[3]CBS,[4] The New York Times,[5]USA Today,[12] The Washington Post,[13]CNN,[17] The Guardian[14] and Fox News.[15] The same day, ABC News[16] published an article introducing seven cardinals of the Catholic Church that could potentially become the next Pope. Also on February 11th, The Telegraph[19] published an article speculating a possible succession by the first black Pope, noting that the church may consider Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana or Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria to further their involvement in the developing world.
Online Reaction
On February 11th, 2013, Redditor realmenwearkilts submitted an image macro to the /r/atheism[2] subreddit, featuring a photoshopped picture of Pope Benedict XVI wearing a Scumbag Hat miter, accompanied by the caption “‘Chosen by God’ / Quits” (shown below). Within seven hours, the post received over 19,900 up votes and 1,000 comments.
Several hours later, an “Official Pope Thread” was created in the /r/Christianity[18] subreddit, which served as a depository for all news articles, discussions and speculations about the Pope’s resignation and his successor. Within eight hours, the post received over 720 up votes and 540 comments. The same day, the keyword “Pope” became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter, with many users expressing dismay, taking the opportunity to criticize the church or tweeting jokes about the resignation. Round-up compilations of people’s reactions on Twitter were subsequently published on the Internet news blog UpRoxx[7] and The Wall Street Journal’s Dispatch blog.[6]
The Pope is hardly the first person to lose interest in their real job so soon after joining Twitter.
— Sixth Form Poet (@sixthformpoet) February 11, 2013
Sad ☹. Pope Benedict is resigning on Feb 28. His writings were enlightening and a great inspiration to many… Thank you Pope Benedict XVI♥
— Kara David (@karadavid) February 11, 2013
Hang on. Pope is resigning vis he’s “too old”. Not for presiding over the largest organised cover up of child abuse, anywhere. Ever.
— Abie Philbin Bowman (@AbiePB) February 11, 2013
Image Macros
Search Interest
Not available.
External References
[1]Ansa – Bennedetto XVI lascia pontificato
[2]Reddit – chosen by god
[3]The BBC– Pope Benedict XVI to resign citing poor health
[4]CBS News – Pope Benedict XVI to Resign
[5]New York Times – Frail Pope Breaks Tradition and Resigns
[6]Wall Street Journal – Reactions to Pope Benedicts Resignation
[7]UpRoxx – Twitter Has Something For This
[8]Radio Vaticana – Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation
[9]Reddit – to the people upset about a possible black pope
[10]Reddit – My friend on the popes resignation
[11]Reddit – It is time for our lord to claim
[12]USA Today – Pope Bendict stuns world announces retirement
[13]Washington Post – Pope Benedict XVI to resign
[14]The Guardian – Pope Benedict XVI resigns owing to age and declining health
[15]Fox News – Pope Benedict to become first pontiff in 600 years to resign
[16]ABC News – 7 Expert Picks For the Next Pontiff
[17]CNN– Pope Benedict Resignation
[18]Reddit – Official Pope Thread
[19]The Telegraph – Pope Benedict XVIs successor