Editing Pope Benedict XVI (section)

=== Resignation ===
{{main|Resignation of Pope Benedict&nbsp;XVI}}
[[File:Benedict XVI's Last Audience.jpg|thumb|left|Benedict in a [[popemobile]] at his final Wednesday General Audience in [[St. Peter's Square]], 27 February 2013]]
On 11 February 2013, the Vatican announced that Benedict would [[papal resignation|resign the papacy]] on 28 February 2013, as a result of his advanced age,<ref>{{cite news |title=Pope Renounces Papal Throne|url=http://visnews-en.blogspot.ca/2013/02/pope-renounces-papal-throne.html|newspaper=Vatican Information Service, 2 November 2013 Bulletin – English Edition}}</ref> becoming the first pope to resign since [[Gregory&nbsp;XII]] in 1415.<ref name="resignCNN">{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/11/world/europe/pope-benedict-resignation/?hpt=hp_t1 |title=Pope Benedict to resign at the end of the month, Vatican says |publisher=CNN |date=11 February 2013 |access-date=11 February 2013 |author=Messia, Hada}}</ref> Aged 85 years and 318 days on the effective date of his retirement, he was the fourth-oldest person to hold the office of pope. The move was unexpected,<ref name="BBCresign1">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-21411304|title=Pope Benedict XVI in shock resignation|publisher=BBC|date=11 February 2013|access-date=11 February 2013}}</ref> as all popes in modern times had held office until death. Benedict was the first pope to resign without external pressure since [[Celestine&nbsp;V]] in 1294.<ref name="FTstepDown">{{cite news|url= http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fd16aaba-7438-11e2-a27c-00144feabdc0.html#slide0|archive-url= https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210211241/https://www.ft.com/content/fd16aaba-7438-11e2-a27c-00144feabdc0#slide0|archive-date= 10 December 2022|url-access= subscription|title= Pope Benedict XVI to step down|work= Financial Times|author= Guy Dinmore, Giulia Segreti and Ferdinando Giugliano|date= 11 February 2013|access-date= 11 February 2013|url-status= live}}{{registration required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Alpert|first=Emily|title=Scandal, speculation surround past popes who resigned|url=https://www.latimes.com/world/la-xpm-2013-feb-11-la-fg-wn-scandal-speculation-past-popes-resign-20130211-story.html|access-date=1 April 2019|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=11 February 2013}}</ref>

In his declaration of 10 February 2013, Benedict resigned as "Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter".<ref name="resignation-declaration">{{cite web | url=https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2013/february/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20130211_declaratio.html |title=Declaration (resignation) of Benedict XVI|date=10 February 2013|access-date=23 June 2018}}</ref> In a statement, he cited his deteriorating strength and the physical and mental demands of the papacy;<ref name="VatRadio_resign" /> addressing his cardinals in Latin, he gave a brief statement announcing his resignation. He also declared that he would continue to serve the Church "through a life dedicated to prayer".<ref name="VatRadio_resign">{{cite web | url=http://en.radiovaticana.va/articolo.asp?c=663815 | title=Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation at end of month | publisher=Vatican Radio | date=11 February 2013 | access-date=11 February 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130211225835/http://en.radiovaticana.va/articolo.asp?c=663815 | archive-date=11 February 2013 }}</ref>

According to a statement from the Vatican, the timing of the resignation was not caused by any specific illness but was to "avoid that exhausting rush of Easter engagements".<ref name="Descrier_resign">{{cite news | url=http://descrier.co.uk/world/2013/02/pope-benedict-xvi-to-resign/ | title=Pope Benedict XVI to Resign due to Parkinson's Disease | newspaper=The Descrier | date=11 February 2013 | access-date=11 February 2013}}</ref> After two weeks of ceremonial farewells, the Pope left office at the appointed time and ''[[sede vacante]]'' was declared. Benedict was succeeded by Cardinal [[Jorge Mario Bergoglio]], who took the papal name of Francis on 13 March 2013.

On the eve of the first anniversary of Benedict's resignation he wrote to ''[[La Stampa]]'' to deny speculation he had [[Benevacantism|been forced to step down]]. "There isn't the slightest doubt about the validity of my resignation from the Petrine ministry," he wrote in a letter to the newspaper. "The only condition for the validity is the full freedom of the decision. Speculation about its invalidity is simply absurd," he wrote.<ref name="BenedictRejectsResignationTalk">{{cite news| url=http://www.europenews.net/index.php/sid/220244698/scat/88176adfdf246af5/ht/Benedict-dismisses-speculation-about-his-resignation| archive-url=https://archive.today/20140227084614/http://www.europenews.net/index.php/sid/220244698/scat/88176adfdf246af5/ht/Benedict-dismisses-speculation-about-his-resignation| archive-date=27 February 2014| title=Benedict dismisses speculation about his resignation| publisher=Europe News.Net| date=26 February 2014| access-date=27 February 2014}}</ref> In an interview on 28 February 2021, Benedict again repeated the legitimacy of his resignation.<ref>{{Cite web|date=20 April 2021|title=Pope Benedict XVI defends resignation to 'fanatic' doubters|url=https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-resignation-fanatics-850c42299aa3a350190ecf41221255d7|access-date=6 August 2021|website=AP NEWS|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=1 March 2021|title=Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI: 'There are not two Popes' – Vatican News|url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-03/pope-emeritus-benedict-xvi-renunciation.html|access-date=6 August 2021|website=vaticannews.va|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Pope Benedict's 'Conscience Is Clear' Regarding His 2013 Resignation|url=https://www.ncregister.com/news/pope-benedict-s-conscience-is-clear-regarding-his-2013-resignation|access-date=6 August 2021|website=NCR|date=March 2021 |language=en}}</ref>