Papal Farewell - Benedict XVI steps down today
Only a handful of popes have ever done so.
The last was Pope Gregory XII, who stepped down in 1415 in a deal to end the Great Western Schism, a dispute among competing papal claimants. The most famous resignation was Pope Celestine V in 1294; Dante placed him in hell for it.
Benedict is saying farewell this morning to his closest advisers in Clementine Hall at the Apostolic Palace. Then shortly before 5 p.m., he will leave the palace for the last time as pope and fly by helicopter to the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome.
Benedict Greets Cardinals on Last Day As Pope
Exactly at 8 p.m. — when his resignation takes effect — the doors at Castel Gandolfo will close and the papacy that began on April 19, 2005, will come to an end.
Latest News
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8

NO GEM FOR GARCIA AS ROCKIES BEAT CARDINALS 8-2
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Jaime Garcia got rocked again by Colorado and fell well short of giving the St. Louis Cardinals three straight pitching gems. "I made a couple mistakes and pai...

KTRS Sports: Sources say there are problems in Blues' l…
After Wednesday night's 3-2 overtime loss to the Kings, KTRS Sports Director John Hadley reports that the Blues are having issues behind the scenes. Obviously, there are issues fo...

KINGS BEAT BLUES 3-2 IN OT, TAKE 3-2 SERIES LEAD
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The way the Los Angeles Kings opened the playoffs is old news. The defending Stanley Cup champions are headed home where they've dominated, one win shy of survivi...

Kings have momentum, Blues still have home ice
ST. LOUIS (AP) - The defending Stanley Cup champions looked the part while evening their series against the St. Louis Blues. The Los Angeles Kings dominated the second half ...

Wood outpitches Lynn in Cubs' win over Cards
CHICAGO (AP) - Travis Wood pitched impressively into the seventh inning to outduel Lance Lynn, Nate Schierholtz hit a two-run homer and the Chicago Cubs snapped the St. Louis Ca...

LA Kings rally late, even series with Blues 4-3
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Anze Kopitar tied it with 12:46 to play, Justin Williams tipped home the go-ahead goal 76 seconds later, and the Los Angeles Kings evened their first-round s...

GARCIA PITCHES CARDINALS PAST BREWERS 10-1
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Jaime Garcia put the Brewers and St. Louis' sweep of Milwaukee under wraps. He pitched eight innings and Allen Craig drove in four runs to lead the St. Louis C...

LA KINGS' QUICK BLANKS BLUES 1-0
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- From the opening minutes to St. Louis' final flurries, Jonathan Quick played every puck with the desperate determination necessary to win the Stanley Cup. Ev...