Thousands gather in St. Peter’s Square for pope’s final blessing
In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI delivers his blessing during his last Angelus noon prayer, from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Benedict XVI gave his pontificate’s final Sunday blessing from his studio window to the cheers of tens of thousands of people packing St. Peter’s Square, but sought to reassure the faithful that he wasn’t abandoning the church by retiring to spend his final years in prayer. The 85-year-old Benedict is stepping down on Thursday evening, the first pope to do so in 600 years, after saying he no longer has the mental or physical strength to vigorously lead the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. (AP Photo/L’Osservatore Romano, ho)
Thousands of worshippers gathered in St. Peter’s Square this morning for Pope Benedict XVI’s final public blessing.
“We thank God for the sun he has given us,” Benedict said as the clouds cleared during his appearance.
The Pope, who will vacate the papacy on Feb. 28, said he is not abandoning the church. “The Lord is calling me to climb onto the mountain, to dedicate myself even more to prayer and meditation,” he told the crowd. “If God asks this of me, it is precisely because I can continue to serve her with the same dedication and the same love I have shown so far.”