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| Pope Benedict XVI's resignation stuns UK religious leaders | Pope Benedict XVI's resignation stuns UK religious leaders |
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| The pope's resignation stunned the leader of England and Wales' Roman Catholics as much as it did everybody else. | The pope's resignation stunned the leader of England and Wales' Roman Catholics as much as it did everybody else. |
| "Pope Benedict's announcement today has shocked and surprised everyone," said the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, archbishop of Westminster, in a rapidly prepared statement. | "Pope Benedict's announcement today has shocked and surprised everyone," said the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, archbishop of Westminster, in a rapidly prepared statement. |
| Nichols, who described the decision as one of "great courage and characteristic clarity of mind and action", said the pontiff had recognised both the challenges facing the church and the "strength of body and mind" required to deal with them. | |
| "I salute his courage and his decision," he added. "I ask people of faith to keep Pope Benedict in their prayers. We Catholics will do so, with great affection and the highest esteem for his ministry as our Holy Father, remembering with joy his visit to the United Kingdom in 2010." | |
| His fond praise was echoed by other religious leaders, among them Justin Welby, the newly confirmed archbishop of Canterbury, who paid tribute to the pope's "remarkable and creative theological" mind. | |
| "It was with a heavy heart but complete understanding that we learned this morning of Pope Benedict's declaration of his decision to lay down the burden of ministry as bishop of Rome, an office which he has held with great dignity, insight and courage," he said. | "It was with a heavy heart but complete understanding that we learned this morning of Pope Benedict's declaration of his decision to lay down the burden of ministry as bishop of Rome, an office which he has held with great dignity, insight and courage," he said. |
| "As I prepare to take up office I speak not only for myself and my predecessors as archbishop, but for Anglicans around the world in giving thanks to God for a priestly life utterly dedicated, in word and deed, in prayer and in costly service, to following Christ." | |
| John Sentamu, the archbishop of York, described Benedict as "a great theologian with great spiritual depth" who was not afraid to proclaim the gospel in today's "self-referential" culture. | |
| The chief rabbi, Lord Sacks, offered his blessings and best wishes to "a man of gentleness, of quiet and of calm, a deeply thoughtful and compassionate individual who carried with him an aura of grace and wisdom". | The chief rabbi, Lord Sacks, offered his blessings and best wishes to "a man of gentleness, of quiet and of calm, a deeply thoughtful and compassionate individual who carried with him an aura of grace and wisdom". |
| Politicians were also quick to offer their tributes. "He has worked tirelessly to strengthen Britain's relations with the Holy See," said David Cameron, who said the 2010 papal visit to the UK was an event remembered with "great respect and affection". | |
| The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, said the pope had made a "brave" decision, adding: "We know he will not have reached it lightly. The choice of a successor is clearly an important one for the Catholic church. Our thoughts are with those who must make such a critical decision on behalf of millions around the world." | |