Pope Benedict XVI was spending his last night in his Vatican apartments Thursday after bidding an emotional farewell to 150,000 pilgrims in St Peter's Square on the eve of his historic resignation.
The German pontiff was greeted with whoops, chants and cheers. Huge banners carried messages such as "Benedict, we'll miss you!" and "The pope is the heart of this city!"
In his speech, the 85-year-old spoke of "stormy waters" in an apparent reference to the multiple scandals that have plagued his reign, and said he had decided to resign for the good of the Roman Catholic Church.
"The Lord gave us days of sun and of light breeze, days in which the fishing was good," said the head of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.
"There were also moments when there were stormy waters and headwinds... as if God was sleeping.
"But I always knew that God was in that boat and I always knew that the boat of the Church is not mine, is not ours, but is his and he will not let it sink," he said, adding: "I never felt alone."
The former Joseph Ratzinger stunned the world with his abrupt decision to end an eight-year reign dogged by scandal and Vatican infighting, declaring he was too weak to keep up with the modern world.
The scourge of paedophile priests and cover-ups by their superiors and a longstanding money-laundering scandal at the Vatican bank, which exposed infighting among Benedict's closest allies, cast a shadow over his papacy.
What observers said may have been the last straw was the "Vatileaks" scandal, in which his trusted butler leaked secret papal memos revealing intrigues between rival groups of cardinals.
Wednesday's crowds however did not dwell on the scandals.
'Resigning a powerful message'
"I have come in gratitude for everything he has done these past eight years," said Father Giulio, a 67-year-old priest from Italy's Abruzzo region.
"Resigning is a powerful message for every Christian. He resigned without bitterness but instead in sweetness and serenity," he said.
Benedict is the first pope to resign of his own free will since the Middle Ages.
While the move has worried conservatives, it has kindled the hopes of Catholics around the world who want a successor to breathe new life into the Church.
"I admire Benedict, but I hope the next pope will have the strength to unite the Church and help it grow again -- and bring back a bit of morality," said Sharon Clark, a tourist from the United States.
US Secretary of State John Kerry, himself a Catholic, wished Pope Benedict XVI well on the eve of his departure.
"The United States sends its best wishes to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI as he leaves the Vatican after years of service and dedication to God, the Catholic Church, and world peace," said Kerry in statement.
The Vatican has said Benedict will receive the title of "Roman pontiff emeritus", can still be addressed as "Your Holiness" and will wear the white papal cassock after he officially steps down at 1900 GMT on Thursday.
Benedict will spend the first few weeks of his retirement at the summer papal residence of Castel Gandolfo outside Rome.
There he will be well away from the preparations and consultations ahead of next month's secret conclave to elect his successor, but in due time he will return to the Vatican to take up residence there.
Rome has been gripped by speculation over who the leading candidates might be to replace him -- the so-called "papabili" -- as cardinals from around the world fly in ahead of the conclave.
Rumours and counter-rumours in the Italian media suggest cloak-and-dagger lobbying, prompting the Vatican to condemn what it has called "unacceptable pressure" to influence the papal election.
One of them, Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani of Peru, said he was confident they would elect a new pope before Holy Week, the event-laden run-up to Easter, Christendom's most important observance, on March 31.
"The coordination meetings have not begun and no decision has yet been made on when the conclave will be held, but I clearly expect that before Holy Week we will have among us a new holy father," he said.
AFP
Thu Feb 28 2013
![Pope readies departure after emotional public farewell Pope readies departure after emotional public farewell](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2013-02/71360584092_295x200.jpg)
![Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41723674988_pineapplesweetsme.jpg)
Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine
Auckland City Mission secara tidak sengaja telah mengagihkan gula-gula bercampur Methamphetamine yang boleh membawa maut melalui pek makanan.
Pesakit buah pinggang di Gaza hadapi kekurangan mesin dialisis
Pesakit buah pinggang di Gaza menghadapi kekurangan peralatan dialisis dan bekalan perubatan yang teruk di Khan Younis.
Kekejaman zionis: Hamas hilang kepercayaan A.S jadi pengantara gencatan senjata
Hamas hilang kepercayaan terhadap keupayaan Amerika Syarikat untuk menjadi pengantara gencatan senjata di Gaza.
Kekejaman zionis: Hamas tidak ambil bahagian rundingan gencatan senjata baharu
Hamas tidak akan mengambil bahagian dalam pusingan baharu rundingan gencatan senjata Gaza yang dijadualkan di Qatar, pada Khamis.
Malaysia kecam pencerobohan Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa
Wisma Putra dalam satu kenyataan pada Rabu berkata perbuatan keji ini yang dilakukan di bawah perlindungan pasukan keselamatan Israel, merupakan pencerobohan serius terhadap satu daripada tapak paling suci Islam.
![WHO isytihar mpox sebagai kecemasan kesihatan awam global WHO isytihar mpox sebagai kecemasan kesihatan awam global](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41723675747_Mpoxvirus.jpg)
WHO isytihar mpox sebagai kecemasan kesihatan awam global
Ini merupakan pengisytiharan kali kedua dalam tempoh dua tahun berikutan wabak yang bermula di Congo sudah merebak ke negara jiran.
![Turkiye akan terus tingkatkan tekanan ke atas Israel - Presiden Erdogan Turkiye akan terus tingkatkan tekanan ke atas Israel - Presiden Erdogan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723674774_TayyipEMahmoudAbbas.jpg)
Turkiye akan terus tingkatkan tekanan ke atas Israel - Presiden Erdogan
Erdogan maklumkan kepada Presiden Mahmoud Abbas, Turkiye akan terus sokong perjuangan Palestin.
![Bekas pemimpin Bangladesh, Hasina didakwa lakukan genosid Bekas pemimpin Bangladesh, Hasina didakwa lakukan genosid](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2016-07/71467442821_SheikhHasina.jpg)
Bekas pemimpin Bangladesh, Hasina didakwa lakukan genosid
Sheikh Hasina didakwa melakukan "genosid dan jenayah terhadap kemanusiaan" semasa beberapa minggu protes ganas yang mengakibatkan ratusan orang terbunuh.
![Fadillah tiba di Peru untuk hadiri mesyuarat menteri-menteri tenaga APEC 2024 Fadillah tiba di Peru untuk hadiri mesyuarat menteri-menteri tenaga APEC 2024](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723674456_FadillahYusof.jpg)
Fadillah tiba di Peru untuk hadiri mesyuarat menteri-menteri tenaga APEC 2024
Timbalan Perdana Menteri Fadillah akan mengetengahkan pendirian Malaysia dalam melaksanakan usaha peralihan tenaga negara.
![Lawatan PM Anwar ke India dijangka kukuhkan hubungan ekonomi - Ramanan Lawatan PM Anwar ke India dijangka kukuhkan hubungan ekonomi - Ramanan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61721630406_TBAnwarIbrahim.jpg)
Lawatan PM Anwar ke India dijangka kukuhkan hubungan ekonomi - Ramanan
Perdana Menteri Anwar dijadualkan membuat lawatan rasmi pertama ke India dari 19 hingga 20 Ogos.
![Biarawati disimpan sebagai hamba seks oleh paderi Biarawati disimpan sebagai hamba seks oleh paderi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2017-11/71511181246_raped.jpg)
Biarawati disimpan sebagai hamba seks oleh paderi
Pope Francis mengaku buat pertama kali bahawa wujudnya skandal biarawati didera secara seksual oleh para pendeta di Gereja Katolik.
Penduduk Belgium & Jerman harap Pope baru lebih terbuka
Penduduk dari Belgium dan Jerman melahirkan harapan agar Pope baru nanti akan berfikiran lebih moden seiring dengan peredaran masa.
![Pope Benedict XVI berundur dengan ucapan ringkas Pope Benedict XVI berundur dengan ucapan ringkas](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2013-02/51362066063_295x200.jpg)
Pope Benedict XVI berundur dengan ucapan ringkas
Sempena pengunduran Pope Benedict ke-16 hari ini, beliau hanya akan memberi ucapan ringkas kepada Cardinal dan penasihat rapatnya.