Pope Benedict XVI pledges loyalty in last days at Vatican
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FILE - This Nov. 3, 2006 file photo shows Pope Benedict XVI's hand as he waves to faithful from his car at the end of his visit at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Pope Benedict XVI left the Vatican for the last time as pontiff on Thursday, flying by helicopter to the Vatican's vacation retreat hours before becoming the first pontiff in 600 years to resign. -
A helicopter with Pope Benedict XVI onboard leaves the Vatican in Vatican City, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. The 85-year-old German Pope Benedict is stepping down on Thursday evening, the first pope to do so in 600 years, after saying he no longer has the mental or physical strength to vigorously lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. -
Nuns wave to a helicopter with Pope Benedict XVI onboard in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican,Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. The 85-year-old German Pope Benedict is stepping down on Thursday evening, the first pope to do so in 600 years, after saying he no longer has the mental or physical strength to vigorously lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. -
A helicopter with Pope Benedict XVI onboard leaves the Vatican in Rome, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. The 85-year-old German Pope Benedict is stepping down on Thursday evening, the first pope to do so in 600 years, after saying he no longer has the mental or physical strength to vigorously lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. -
A man holds the Vatican flag as he waits for Pope Benedict XVI to greet the crowd at the Pope's summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, the scenic town where he will spend his first post-Vatican days and make his last public blessing as pope, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. -
Pope Benedict XVI greets faithful from his summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, the scenic town where Pope Benedict XVI will spend his first post-Vatican days and made his last public blessing as pope,Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. -
Pope Benedict XVI blesses the crowd from the window of the Pope's summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, the scenic town where he will spend his first post-Vatican days and make his last public blessing as pope,Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. -
Nuns fix a banner outside a window near the Pope's summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, the scenic town where Pope Benedict XVI will spend his first post-Vatican days and make his last public blessing as pope,Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. -
Bavarian state governor Horst Seehofer, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President of the German Federal Parliament, Bundestag, Norbert Lammert, from left, attend a thanksgiving service for outgoing pope Benedict XVI. at the St. Hedwig cathedral in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. At 8 p.m. sharp, Benedict will become the first pontiff in 600 years to resign. -
Bavarian state governor Horst Seehofer, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President of the German Federal Parliament, Bundestag, Norbert Lammert, from left, sing as Archbishop Robert Zollitsch, right, head of the German Bishops' Conference, passes by at the end of a thanksgiving service for outgoing pope Benedict XVI. at the St. Hedwig cathedral in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. At 8 p.m. sharp, Benedict will become the first pontiff in 600 years to resign. -
Nuns wait for the beginning of a thanksgiving service for outgoing pope Benedict XVI. at the St. Hedwig cathedral in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. At 8 p.m. sharp, Benedict will become the first pontiff in 600 years to resign. -
Nuns watch a giant screen showing a helicopter with Pope Benedict XVI onboard in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican,Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. The 85-year-old German Pope Benedict is stepping down on Thursday evening, the first pope to do so in 600 years, after saying he no longer has the mental or physical strength to vigorously lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. -
FILE - In this Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013, file photo, a view of a grotto inside the pope's summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, in the town of Castelgandolfo, south of Rome. Immediately after his resignation on Feb. 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI will spend some time at the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo, overlooking Lake Albano in the hills south of Rome where he has spent his summer vacations reading and writing. -
Pope Benedict XVI greets the crowd from the window of the Pope's summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, the scenic town where he will spend his first post-Vatican days and make his last public blessing as pope,Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. -
In this photo taken with a fisheye lens, faithfuls gather during a thanksgiving service for outgoing pope Benedict XVI. at the St. Hedwig cathedral in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. At 8 p.m. sharp, Benedict will become the first pontiff in 600 years to resign. -
FILE- This Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013, file photo, shows a view of the hall ofthe pope's summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, in the town of Castelgandolfo, south of Rome. Immediately after his resignation on Feb. 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI will spend some time at the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo, overlooking Lake Albano in the hills south of Rome where he has spent his summer vacations reading and writing. -
FILE - In this , Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013, file photo, Pierpoalo Turoli, responsible for pope's residences, opens a window of the pope's summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, in the town of Castelgandolfo, south of Rome. Immediately after his resignation on Feb. 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI will spend some time at the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo, overlooking Lake Albano in the hills south of Rome where he has spent his summer vacations reading and writing. -
In this photo released by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI receives German politician Horst Seehofer and his wife Karin during a private audience which followed his last general audience, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI basked in an emotional sendoff Wednesday at his final general audience in St. Peter's Square, recalling moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty. He also thanked his flock for respecting his decision to retire. -
Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz arrives to attend Pope Benedict XVI's last general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI is preparing for his final general audience, the weekly appointment he kept with the faithful and tourists to teach them about the Catholic faith. -
Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, left, is greeted by unidentified people as he arrives for Pope Benedict XVI's last general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI is preparing for his final general audience, the weekly appointment he kept with the faithful and tourists to teach them about the Catholic faith. -
In this photo released by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI receives German politician Horst Seehofer during a private audience which followed his last general audience, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI basked in an emotional sendoff Wednesday at his final general audience in St. Peter's Square, recalling moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty. He also thanked his flock for respecting his decision to retire. -
Armando Martin Duenas shows replicas of the two pairs of hand-crafted loafers that were given to Pope Benedict XVI during his March 2012 visit to Mexico at the Ackerman shoe factory in Leon, Mexico, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Benedict's title and what he will wear have been a major source of speculation since the 85-year-old pontiff stunned the world and announced he would resign Thursday, the first pope to do so in 600 years. -
A nun clasps her hands in prayer during a Mass honoring Pope Benedict XVI at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict made his final public appearance as pontiff in St. Peter's Square Wednesday. He thanked his flock for respecting his retirement, which takes effect Thursday. -
A woman prays during a Mass honoring Pope Benedict XVI at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict made his final public appearance as pontiff in St. Peter's Square Wednesday. He thanked his flock for respecting his retirement, which takes effect Thursday. -
A parishioner touches a statue of Jesus Christ as he leaves the Metropolitan Cathedral after attending a Mass honoring Pope Benedict XVI, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict made his final public appearance as pontiff in St. Peter's Square Wednesday. He thanked his flock for respecting his retirement, which takes effect Thursday. -
A devotee holds a prayer card with an image of Pope Benedict XVI during a Mass honoring the pontiff at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict made his final public appearance as pontiff in St. Peter's Square Wednesday. He thanked his flock for respecting his retirement, which takes effect Thursday. -
Cardinal Thomas Christopher Collins, left, and Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir Wako, arrive to attend Pope Benedict XVI's last general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI is preparing for his final general audience, the weekly appointment he kept with the faithful and tourists to teach them about the Catholic faith. -
Pope Benedict XVI waves from his pope-mobile as he is driven through the crowd during his last general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI has recalled moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty in an emotional, final general audience in St. Peter's Square before retiring. Benedict thanked his cardinals, colleagues and ordinary faithful for their support and for respecting his decision to become the first pope in 600 years to resign. -
Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, of the Democratic Republic of Congo, left, and Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, of Ghana, arrive to attend Pope Benedict XVI's last general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI basked in an emotional sendoff Wednesday at his final general audience in St. Peter's Square, recalling moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty. He also thanked his flock for respecting his decision to retire. -
Workers sets up a stage for the media next to St Peter's Square ahead of Pope Benedict XVI's last public audience Wednesday, at the Vatican, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI has changed the rules of the conclave that will elect his successor, allowing cardinals to move up the start date if all of them arrive in Rome before the usual 15-day transition between pontificates. Benedict signed a legal document, issued Monday, with some line-by-line changes to the 1996 Vatican law governing the election of a new pope. It is one of his last acts as pope before resigning Thursday. -
Nuns gather during Pope Benedict XVI's last general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI basked in an emotional sendoff Wednesday at his final general audience in St. Peter's Square, recalling moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty. He also thanked his flock for respecting his decision to retire. -
Faithful gather during Pope Benedict XVI's last general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI basked in an emotional sendoff Wednesday at his final general audience in St. Peter's Square, recalling moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty. He also thanked his flock for respecting his decision to retire. -
Faithful gather for Pope Benedict XVI's last general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI basked in an emotional sendoff Wednesday at his final general audience in St. Peter's Square, recalling moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty. He also thanked his flock for respecting his decision to retire. -
Prelates gather during Pope Benedict XVI's last general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI basked in an emotional sendoff Wednesday at his final general audience in St. Peter's Square, recalling moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty. He also thanked his flock for respecting his decision to retire. -
The faithful fill St. Peter's Square as Pope Benedict XVI gives his final general audience Wednesday, February 27, 2013, the eve of his retirement as leader of the world's Roman Catholics at St. Peter's Square, Vatican City. -
Pope Benedict XVI speaks to tens of thousands of pilgrims and well-wishers during his final general audience Wednesday, February 27, 2013, the eve of his retirement as leader of the world's Roman Catholics at St. Peter's Square, Vatican City. -
Pope Benedict XVI speaks to tens of thousands of pilgrims and well-wishers during his final general audience Wednesday, February 27, 2013, the eve of his retirement as leader of the world's Roman Catholics at St. Peter's Square, Vatican City. -
Faithful gather during Pope Benedict XVI's last general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI basked in an emotional sendoff Wednesday at his final general audience in St. Peter's Square, recalling moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty. He also thanked his flock for respecting his decision to retire. -
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, of the Philippines, center, sits amongst other cardinals as they attend Pope Benedict XVI's last general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI basked in an emotional sendoff Wednesday at his final general audience in St. Peter's Square, recalling moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty. He also thanked his flock for respecting his decision to retire. -
Pope Benedict XVI waves to tens of thousands of pilgrims and well-wishers as the Popemobile transports him through St. Peter's Square ahead of his final general audience Wednesday, February 27, 2013, the eve of his retirement as leader of the world's Roman Catholics at St. Peter's Square, Vatican City. -
Faithful gather during Pope Benedict XVI's last general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI basked in an emotional sendoff Wednesday at his final general audience in St. Peter's Square, recalling moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty. He also thanked his flock for respecting his decision to retire. -
Pope Benedict XVI greets pilgrims at the end of his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI basked in an emotional sendoff Wednesday at his final general audience in St. Peter's Square, recalling moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty. He also thanked his flock for respecting his decision to retire. -
Faithful are reflected in the roof of Pope Benedict XVI's pope-mobile as he arrives to celebrate his last general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Benedict XVI basked in an emotional sendoff Wednesday at his final general audience in St. Peter's Square, recalling moments of "joy and light" during his papacy but also times of great difficulty. He also thanked his flock for respecting his decision to retire.
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