Full text of Pope's declaration

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 bark 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.

From the Vatican, 10 February 2013

Pope Benedict XVI to resign: Ill heath cited as cause

Via Internet sources

The Vatican has announced that Pope Benedict XVI will step down on February 28.  Pope Benedict was one of the oldest pontiffs to be elected head of the Catholic Church in 2005 aged 85. It’s been almost 600 years since a Pope resigned.  Pope Gregory XII stepped down in 1415 to end the “Western Schism”. When two claimants declared themselves Pope (one in Avignon and the other in Pisa), Gregory resigned and thus helped keep the Roman Catholic Church united.

Prior to this, Pope Celestine V changed the rules and made it possible for Bishops of Rome to resign. He then decided to make good use of his own solemn decree, and lived out his life as an aged hermit. Interestingly, another of the few Popes to resign was also called Benedict. Benedict IX resigned in 1045, selling the position to his godfather so he could marry.  Gregory VI, the man who purchased the papacy from Benedict IX, resigned the following year.

Pope Benedict said he "had to recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me." As a Catholic, I wish the Pope well in his life new endeavor. God bless!

What a Magnificent Sight: St. Peters Basilica

A general view of St Peter's Square as Pope Benedict XVI presides over a special mass to name seven new saints, in the Vatican, October 21.