This file picture taken on December 29, 2012, in St.Peter’s square at the Vatican shows Pope Benedict XVI saluting as he arrives to the ecumenical christian community of Taize during their European meeting. AFP PHOTO / FILES / ALBERTO PIZZOLI

Story Summary

Catholics reacted with shock on Monday to the sudden abdication of Pope Benedict, although the mood among many was one of respect rather than the outpouring of emotion which greeted the death of his beloved predecessor John Paul II.

In Rome, the widespread mourning which greeted John Paul’s death in 2005 appeared a distant memory but the news of Benedict’s resignation overshadowed the increasingly bitter campaign ahead of national elections due just days before the pope leaves office at the end of the month.

Germany had an awkward relationship with Pope Benedict, who was born Joseph Ratzinger in the small Bavarian town of Marktl in 1927 . Adored by some but by no means all Catholics, he was ignored or actively disliked by many other Germans.

Germany’s top-selling tabloid Bild lamented the departure of “our German pope” but the mood, even among Catholic churchgoers, was subdued.

Largely due to that scandal, more than 181,000 German Catholics left the church in 2010, followed by more than 126,000 the following year, cutting the total number of German Catholics to 24.47 million.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/International/2013/Feb-11/205957-pope-benedict-to-resign-ansa-news-agency.ashx#ixzz2KfW4baib
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)