Pope bids farewell in historic exit

Pope Benedict XVI spent his last night in his Vatican apartments after bidding an emotional farewell on February 27 to some 150,000 pilgrims in St Peter’s Square. In his final speech before his February 28 resignation, 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 Catholic Church. The former Joseph Ratzinger stunned the world with his abrupt decision to end an eight-year reign dogged by scandal and Vatican infighting. What observers said may have been the last straw was the scandal that came to be known as “Vatileaks,” in which his trusted butler leaked secret papal memos revealing intrigues between rival groups of cardinals.

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