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Pope Benedict's last audience: thousands gather in St Peter's Square Pope Benedict greets crowds at final general audience
(35 minutes later)
Tens of thousands of people have crowded into St Peter's Square to bid farewell to Pope Benedict XVI at his final general audience – the appointment he kept each week to teach the world about the Catholic faith. Pope Benedict XVI greeted the Catholic masses for the last time before retiring, making several rounds of St Peter's Square and stopping to kiss half a dozen children brought up to him by his secretary.
St Peter's was overflowing and pilgrims and curiosity-seekers were picking spots along the main boulevard nearby to watch the event on giant TV screens. Fifty thousand tickets were requested for Benedict's final master class, but Italian media estimated the number of people attending could be double that. Tens of thousands of people crowded into the square to bid farewell to the pope at his final general audience – the appointment he has kept each week to teach the world about the Catholic faith.
With chants of "Benedetto!" erupting every so often, the mood – even hours before Benedict was to arrive – was far more buoyant than during the pope's final Sunday blessing and recalled the jubilant turnouts that often accompanied him at World Youth Days and events involving his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. Pilgrims and curiosity-seekers picked spots along the main boulevard nearby to watch the event on giant TV screens. Fifty thousand tickets were requested for Benedict's final masterclass, and Italian media estimated the number of people attending could be double that.
With chants of "Benedetto!" erupting every so often, the mood – even hours before Benedict was to arrive – was far more buoyant than during the pope's final Sunday blessing, and recalled the jubilant turnouts that often accompanied him at World Youth Days and events involving his predecessor, Pope John Paul II.
"It's difficult – the emotion is so big," said Jan Marie, a 53-year-old Roman in his first years as a seminarian. "We came to support the pope's decision, and feel the air of the church.""It's difficult – the emotion is so big," said Jan Marie, a 53-year-old Roman in his first years as a seminarian. "We came to support the pope's decision, and feel the air of the church."
Benedict on Thursday will become the first pope in 600 years to resign, a decision he said he took after realising that, at 85, he didn't have the strength of mind or body to carry on. After his general audience on Wednesday, he will meet cardinals for the last time on Thursday, then fly by helicopter to the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo south of Rome. On Thursday Benedict will become the first pope in 600 years to resign, a decision he said he had taken after realising that at 85 he no longer had the strength of mind or body to carry on.
He will meet cardinals for the last time on Thursday, and then fly by helicopter to the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome.
There, at 8pm, the doors of the palazzo will close and the Swiss Guards in attendance will go off duty, their service protecting the head of the Catholic church over – for now.There, at 8pm, the doors of the palazzo will close and the Swiss Guards in attendance will go off duty, their service protecting the head of the Catholic church over – for now.
Many of the cardinals who will choose Benedict's successor were in St Peter's Square for his final audience, including retired Los Angeles cardinal Roger Mahony, object of a grass-roots campaign in the US to persuade him to recuse himself for having covered up for sexually abusive priests. Mahony has said he would vote. Many of the cardinals who will choose Benedict's successor were in St Peter's Square for his final audience. Vatican officials say cardinals will begin meeting on Monday to decide when to set the date for the conclave to elect the next pope.
Vatican officials say cardinals will begin meeting on Monday to decide when to set the date for the conclave to elect the next pope. The rank-and-file in the crowd on Wednesday were not so concerned with the future; they wanted to savour the final moments with the pope they have known for eight years.
But the rank-and-file in the crowd on Wednesday weren't so concerned with the future; they wanted to savour the final moments with the pope they have known for eight years. "I came to thank him for the testimony that he has given the church," said Maria Cristina Chiarini, 52, who had travelled from Lugo, near Ravenna, with 60 members of her parish. "There's nostalgia, human nostalgia, but also comfort, because as a Christian we have hope. The Lord won't leave us without a guide."
"I came to thank him for the testimony that he has given the church," said Maria Cristina Chiarini, a 52-year-old who had travelled from Lugo, near Ravenna, with 60 members of her parish. "There's nostalgia, human nostalgia, but also comfort, because as a Christian we have hope. The Lord won't leave us without a guide."