Pope Benedict XVI’s final goodbye before he retires was met with tears and applause in the tiny hilltop town of Castel Gandolfo near Rome Thursday, where thousands had gathered to hear his emotional last words.
Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday vowed “unconditional obedience and reverence” to his successor on his final day as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.
Pope Benedict XVI’s troubled papacy entered its final hours on Thursday before the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics will make history as the first pontiff to resign since the Middle Ages.
Once he steps down on Thursday, Pope Benedict XVI will begin his retirement in the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, a sumptuous villa outside Rome with ornamental gardens, breathtaking views and its own farm.
