Today is the anniversary of a major moment in recent Church history. Ten years ago, on February 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation became effective and he left the Vatican to go to Castel Gandolfo. EWTN Vatican Journalist Rudolf Gehrig traveled to Pope Benedict’s hometown and met with a journalist who was very close to the late Pope. The journalist said all the conspiracy theories are not true and that Pope Benedict was in fact very ill. The late Pope had heart disease, blindness in one eye, constant headaches and early stages of Parkinson’s. Benedict also noticed that his memory was failing and had had insomnia since 2005. The late Pope thought he would die soon after retiring but in a surprising turn of events, his reign as Pope Emeritus lasted longer than his reign as Pope. However, according to the journalist, Benedict never regretted his resignation.
A Major Moment in Church History: The Resignation of Pope Benedict A Decade Ago
Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today
Share
Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican
Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter.
More news related to this article
Pope Francis prays for peace on anniversary of Hamas attack
On October 7, 2023, Hamas stormed the border with Israel. This week marks the first anniversary of the
The Resignation of Benedict XVI
When Pope Benedict died in Rome, the people of the Eternal City said that it was the second
Pope Francis’ 10th Consistory and Its Global Impact
Pope Francis has created 142 cardinals from 70 countries across nine consistories since his election in 2013, profoundly shaping the future of the Catholic Church.
Pope Francis Appoints First-Ever Woman To Head Vatican Dicastery
Pope Francis has named for the first time a woman, Sister Simona Brambilla, to head a dicastery of the Roman Curia, continuing to add to the number of women in leadership roles at the Vatican, a hallmark of his pontificate.
Archbishop Gugerotti has taken up service at the Dicastery for Eastern Churches
Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, Titular Archbishop of Ravello, began his service as Prefect of the Dicastery for the Oriental
Mary’s birthday: The Church celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Catholic Church celebrates the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary on its traditional fixed date of Sept. 8, nine months after the Dec. 8 celebration of her immaculate conception as the child of Sts. Joachim and Anne.