Nobody expected it apart, of course, from a very restricted number of close collaborators and his own older brother, Fr. Georg Ratzinger, who will soon turn 90.
After the first reactions of disbelief, there was no possible doubt about it. Pope Benedict had announced his resignation as the Bishop of Rome and, therefore, as Pope. He did so in strict adherence to what is clearly established by Church Law (CIC 332) which explicitly makes provision for the eventual resignation: to be valid, it must be done personally, in complete freedom, and it must be made manifest. There is no need for anybody to formally accept it. Pope Benedict also included in his declaration the day – 28 February, and the hour – 20:00, Rome time, when his mandate as Pope would cease.
He also declared that he reached such decision after much reflection and prayer, and following his own conscience. He was sure that the step he was taking was ‘according to God’s will’ and that it was ‘for the good of the Church.’ After 28 February, he would continue to serve the Church dedicating his life to prayer, since his age and his health no longer allowed him to continue to serve in the government of ‘the boat of Peter.’
He himself had mentioned that possibility a couple of years ago. It was in the ‘interview book,’ Light of the World (Vatican 2010), which he did with journalist Peter Seewald. I quote freely: ‘If a Pope sees that he is no longer capable, physically, psychologically or spiritually of continuing to carry on with the duties of his service, then he has the right, and in certain circumstances, even the duty to resign.’ Of course, we all thought it was merely a theoretical hypothesis. Clearly it wasn’t so!
In 2009, he had made an interesting pilgrimage to the tomb of a saintly pope of the thirteenth century: Celestine V, in the Italian city of L’Acquila. On the tomb of Saint Celestine V, Benedict placed a Pallium, just like the one which he himself always wears as bishop of Rome. It may have been just a coincidence, but Pope Celestine V was the one who resigned from the papacy just a few months after his election. He did so, on 13 December 1294, in front of the assembled cardinals.
Resignation by a Pope is an extremely rare event. Apart from some instances, which are discussed by historians, the other pope who is known to have resigned peacefully was Pope Pontian, who resigned in the year 235 when he was condemned to forced labor in the mines of the island of Sardinia, together with the priest Hippolytus. Pope Anterus was then elected as his successor.
Benedict XVI leaves the helm of the boat of Peter but he will certainly continue to sustain the new pope and the whole Church with his prayer and with the tremendous witness of humility, faith and courage, in a blend that our Church had not seen for many centuries.
