Skip to main content
Open this photo in gallery:

White smoke rises from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, indicating a new pope has been elected, in this file still image taken from video shot on April 19, 2005.Reuters

1 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

This April 24, 2005 file photo shows thousands of people attending the installment Mass of Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square, at the VaticanGregorio Borgia/The Associated Press

2 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he leads his weekly audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican March 11, 2009Alessia Pierdomenico/Reuters

3 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

Jordan's king Abdullah(R) welcomes Pope Benedict XVI (L) upon his arrival at Queen Alia International airport in Amman May 8, 2009Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters

4 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

U.S. President Barack Obama (L) exchange gifts with Pope Benedict XVI as first lady Michelle Obama (R) looks on at the Vatican July 10, 2009Jason Reed/Reuters

5 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

Pope Benedict XVI arrives to lead his weekly general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican.MAX ROSSI

6 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

Pope Benedict XVI looks on as he leads the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) at the Colosseum in Rome April 2, 2010.Max Rossi/Reuters

7 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Pope Benedict XVI walk at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Thursday Sept. 16, 2010.Claudio Onorati/The Associated Press

8 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

Pope Benedict XVI meets with Fidel Castro in Havana, Cuba.

9 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

Pope Benedict XVI waves upon his arrival at Tegel airport in Berlin on Sept. 22, 2011.Sean Gallup

10 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

Pope Benedict XVI greet Korean children during the Christmas mass in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican December 25, 2011.REUTERS/Max Rossi

11 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

In this photo provided by Vatican paper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI delivers his "Urbi et Orbi" (to the City and to the World) message from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012.Gregorio Borgia/The Associated Press

12 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

Pope Benedict XVI leaves at the end of the Christmas night mass in the Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican December 25, 2012.MAX ROSSI/Reuters

13 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

Pope Benedict XVI leaves at the end of a mass at the St. Peter Basilica in Vatican February 9, 2013. Pope Benedict will step down as head of the Catholic Church on Feb. 28, the Vatican confirmed on February 11, 2013. Picture taken February 9, 2013.ALESSANDRO BIANCHI/Reuters

14 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

Pope Benedict XVI leaves at the end of a meeting with seminarians at the Romano Maggiore seminary in Rome February 8, 2013.TONY GENTILE/Reuters

15 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

Pope Benedict XVI waves during the Angelus prayer in Saint Peter's square at the Vatican February 3, 2013.STEFANO RELLANDINI/Reuters

16 of 17
Open this photo in gallery:

In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI, center, reads a document in Latin where he announces his resignation, during a meeting of Vatican cardinals, at the Vatican, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013The Associated Press

17 of 17

Interact with The Globe