A sign
from GOD? As Lighting strikes the basilica of St.Peter's dome in Rome on the
same day Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation.
The Catholic Church was
thrown into turmoil today after Pope Benedict XVI made the shock decision to
quit the papacy because of his deteriorating health.
In a decision that has
surprised even his closest aides, the 85-year-old Pontiff said his strength was
'no longer adequate to continue in office due to his advanced age'.
He announced his
resignation in Latin to a meeting of Vatican cardinals this morning, saying he
did not have the 'strength of mind and body' to continue leading more than a
billion Roman Catholics worldwide.
The move allows the
Vatican to hold a conclave before Easter to elect a new pope, since the
traditional mourning time that would follow the death of a Pontiff does not
have to be observed.
There are several papal
contenders, including Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson who is a
front-runner to become the first black Pope.
Although officials said
there had been no pressure for Benedict to resign, the Internet is already
awash with speculation that there was a more sinister reason behind his
decision.
A cardinal who was at the
meeting said: ‘We listened with a sense of incredulity as His Holiness told us
of his decision to step down from the church that he so loves.’
In a hastily arranged and,
at times, shambolic press conference this morning, Vatican spokesman Federico
Lombardi said: 'It’s taken us a bit by surprise. We’ve had to organise
ourselves very quickly.
‘We’ve had no warning of
what the Pope was about to announce. The declaration is crystal clear and we
need to go through it word by word.
‘The Pope says that he
looked in a personal way and had a deep moment of reflection to consider the
mission that he had received from God.’
The Pontiff, who was known
as 'God's rottweiler' because of his stern stand on theological issues, will
then retire to the Pope's summer residence near Rome before returning to the
Vatican to spend the rest of his life in cloistered accommodation.
As he begins his
retirement, cardinals in Rome will begin the process of choosing a successor.
So is the Lighting a Sign from GOD?
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