Pope Benedict Ends Pontificate, Leaving Papacy Vacant
Pope Benedict ended his eight-year reign on Thursday, becoming the first pontiff in six centuries to resign instead of ruling for life.
The papacy became officially vacant at 8 p.m. (1900 GMT/2 p.m. ET) in keeping with the pope’s wishes when he announced his decision to resign on Feb. 11.
The yellow and white papal flag was lowered and the Swiss Guard sentries withdrew from the entrance to the papal summer residence south of Rome as the massive wooden doors of the hilltop building were closed.
The pope flew there by helicopter less than three hours earlier.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30