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Pope Benedict XVI resigns as the pope of the Catholic Church, becoming the first pope to do so since Pope Gregory XII in 1415.
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Pope Benedict XVI
Head of the Catholic Church from 2005 to 2013
Pope Benedict XVI was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2005 until his resignation in 2013. Following his resignation, he chose to be known as "pope emeritus", a title he held until his death on 31 December 2022.Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI
2013 resignation of the pope
The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI took effect on 28 February 2013 at 20:00 Roman-Vatican Time, following Benedict XVI's announcement of the same on 11 February. It made him the first pope to relinquish the office since Gregory XII was forced to resign in 1415 to end the…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Catholic Church
Christian church based in Rome
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions and has played a prominent role in the history…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Pope Gregory XII
Head of the Catholic Church from 1406 to 1415
Pope Gregory XII, born Angelo Corraro, Corario, or Correr, was head of the Catholic Church from 30 November 1406 to 4 July 1415. Reigning during the Western Schism, he was opposed by the Avignon claimant Benedict XIII and the Pisan claimants Alexander V and John XXIII. Gregory…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
February 28
Day of the year
February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 306 days remain until the end of the year.Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)