Pope Benedict resigns from the papacy on February 28. He has said his goal after stepping down is to live quietly in prayer and meditation.
Pope Benedict
![Pope Benedict greets the crowd from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, April 19, 2005.](https://gdb.voanews.com/3CFA59FB-0773-49E9-84F7-1917DD3D750D_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Pope Benedict greets the crowd from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, April 19, 2005.
![Pope Benedict blesses a baby as he rides around St. Peter's Square to hold his last general audience at the Vatican Feb. 27, 2013.](https://gdb.voanews.com/3D6B27F5-FACA-4A05-A3B6-8D50A2A99DB7_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Pope Benedict blesses a baby as he rides around St. Peter's Square to hold his last general audience at the Vatican Feb. 27, 2013.
![Pope Benedict appears on a giant screen in a packed St. Peter's Square at the Vatican during his last general audience, February 27, 2013.](https://gdb.voanews.com/1F9FF640-CBC3-4951-9BD0-3DDFA144048E_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Pope Benedict appears on a giant screen in a packed St. Peter's Square at the Vatican during his last general audience, February 27, 2013.
![Pope Benedict arrives to attend a meeting with seminarians at the Romano Maggiore seminary in Rome, February 8, 2013.](https://gdb.voanews.com/131DF41F-785B-4F03-B928-0810E4E2847A_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Pope Benedict arrives to attend a meeting with seminarians at the Romano Maggiore seminary in Rome, February 8, 2013.