VATICAN CITY (Catholic Online) – Pope Benedict XVI will resign his office on February 28, 2013. He will be 86 years old on April 16, 2013. Some early observers indicated his age would make him some sort of caretaker Pope. His pontificate has demonstrated the observers were wrong. He has been an indefatigable and tireless missionary of a Pope.
With the humility which has characterized his extraordinary papacy, the announcement was simple and straightforward. It was made to a consistory of his brothers in the episcopate, cardinals who had gathered in Rome where he will soon approve over 800 causes for canonization. He will become the first Pope since 1294 to resign his office. Here is his complete statement:
يحتفل موارنة لبنان غداً بعيد مار مارون. مناسبة تحولت لبنانياً إلى صورة ظلت تجمع رئيس الجمهورية ورئيسي الحكومة ومجلس النواب، حتى خلال أشد الأزمات عصفاً بلبنان. لكنها، للموارنة، لا بد أن تتعدى الصورة التذكارية، لتتحوّل مع كل الخضّات والاستحقاقات والانقسامات التي مروا بها، إلى مناسبة لمراجعة شاملة لدورهم في لبنان «للدفاع عن قيم […]
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