Mystery surrounds unexpected resignation of Pope Benedict XVI

By Mauro Lovecchio Source:Global Times Published: 2013-2-17 18:28:01

Illustration: Liu Rui/GT
Illustration: Liu Rui/GT



On February 11, in a quiet room within the walls of the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI was reading his speech to an assembly of cardinals. There was nothing extraordinary in his appearance, nor even the language of his speech - Latin, the official language of the Holy See.

When a journalist from ANSA, the main Italian news agency, caught something that was about to make history for the more than 2,000-year-old institution, she must have almost jumped out of her chair - she would have been among the first who knew the Pope intended to resign.

One must go back in history almost 600 years to find a precedent for such an unusual act, to 1415 when Pope Gregory XII abdicated.

The Pope declared that he will step down from his office at 8 pm on February 28, opening the period of time called "Sede Vacante" (empty see), when the Pope's office, usually after the Pope's death, is run by a temporary figure called "camerlengo."

This interim period is used by the cardinals to come to Rome from all over the world to meet in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and elect a new Pope.

This procedure, called the "conclave," literally "locked with key," has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. The segregation ends only when white smoke rises from the chapel's roof, telling Rome that a new Pope has been elected.

It should not be forgotten that this small state, enclosed within the city of Rome, is among the most powerful economies and diplomatic forces in the world, conditioning millions of faithful around the world and lobbying the most influential governments, often influencing their agenda. The real consequences of such an unprecedented act are yet to be seen.

While the official reason behind the resignation has been cited as old age and a lack of strength, many commentators in Italy and around the world believe that while this may be one of the reasons, it is not the primary motivation.

It is hard to forget how the late Pope John Paul II used his last energy to wave at people in Saint Peter's square just hours before succumbing to his long-term illness. And like him, all Popes in modern history have led the Church of Rome until death. "You don't step down from Christ's cross," commented Polish cardinal Dziwisz, the personal secretary of Pope Wojtyla.

So what could be the real reason that brought the Pope, who was born Joseph Ratzinger, down from the cross and brought the Church into "completely uncharted territory" as one BBC commentator defined it?

Many say that this Pope had a rough ride, having to defend his Church from accusations that it didn't do much to tackle pedophilia among priests and defend himself against those who raised issues relating to unclear relationships with the Nazi party in his youth.

But probably the worst challenge Joseph Ratzinger had to face, and possibly the one that led to his resignation, was the so called "Vatileaks" scandal.

During the first few months of 2012, a whistle-blower, later identified by the Gendarmeria Vaticana (Vatican police) as Paolo Gabriele, the Pope's personal butler since 2006, managed to leak a number of classified documents.

Several scandals emerged that hit at the very heart of the Vatican establishment, all the way up to the Pope himself and his closest circle. An internal war for power within the Vatican walls was exposed, together with a wide network of financial fraud and money laundering involving the powerful IOR (Vatican Bank).

In the leaked documents there was also material about a conspiracy to eliminate the Pope within one year in order to allow the election of Cardinal Angelo Scola, the Archbishop of Milan.

Not killed, but still removed from office, the Pope is now gone and the unthinkable has happened. Speculation is rife over who will be the Pope's successor.

Some are predicting the Italian Tarcisio Bertone, current camerlengo, Vatican secretary of state, and strongest man in the Vatican, will become the next Pope. But some who believe that Vatileaks was responsible for the Pope's resignation consider him too compromised by the scandal.

Talking to the people in the streets of Rome reveals a desire for a less politicized Church. The call is for a younger and more energetic Pope, able to lead Christianity into modern times and able to discuss controversial problems such as same sex couples or abortion and other social issues that cannot be ignored any longer.

The author is a freelance journalist based in Bari, Italy. lovecchio.mauro@gmail.com



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