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| Pope Benedict holds last public Mass | Pope Benedict holds last public Mass |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pope Benedict XVI has celebrated his last scheduled public Mass following his resignation. | |
| The service was for Ash Wednesday and was held in St Peter's Basilica. | |
| Looking tired, the 85-year-old pontiff anointed the foreheads of the faithful with ashes in a service attended by cardinals, bishops, monks, friars and pilgrims. | |
| Wearing purple vestments, he referred to his resignation in his homily, asking for the prayers of the faithful. | |
| Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, the most solemn season in the Church calendar that ends with Holy Week and Easter Sunday. | |
| The pontiff had originally been scheduled to celebrate Ash Wednesday at the small Sant' Anselmo church, then lead a procession to Santa Sabina Basilica on Rome's Aventine Hill. | |
| But the Mass was relocated to St Peter's to accommodate the crowds, the Vatican said. The change also saved the Pope the effort of the procession. | |
| Earlier, the Pope was cheered by crowds as he entered and began speaking at his weekly general audience at its traditional venue, the audience hall in the Vatican. | Earlier, the Pope was cheered by crowds as he entered and began speaking at his weekly general audience at its traditional venue, the audience hall in the Vatican. |
| Thousands of people gathered in the hall to greet him, giving him a standing ovation as he arrived, and cheering as he began and finished speaking. | Thousands of people gathered in the hall to greet him, giving him a standing ovation as he arrived, and cheering as he began and finished speaking. |
| Looking tired and drawn, Pope Benedict thanked the crowd for their warm greeting and their sympathy. | Looking tired and drawn, Pope Benedict thanked the crowd for their warm greeting and their sympathy. |
| "Thank you for the love and prayer with which you have accompanied me... Keep praying for me, for the Church and for the future pope," he said. | "Thank you for the love and prayer with which you have accompanied me... Keep praying for me, for the Church and for the future pope," he said. |
| He said he was aware of the gravity of his decision to resign but also of his declining strength, adding that he was certain the Church would sustain him with prayer. | He said he was aware of the gravity of his decision to resign but also of his declining strength, adding that he was certain the Church would sustain him with prayer. |
| "I did this in full liberty for the good of the Church," he added. | "I did this in full liberty for the good of the Church," he added. |
| Battle for succession | Battle for succession |
| The pontiff will continue with his usual agenda until the day he officially retires at the end of February, Vatican officials say. | |
| By the end of Lent, in six weeks' time, there is expected to be a new pope. | By the end of Lent, in six weeks' time, there is expected to be a new pope. |
| The BBC's David Willey, in Rome, says Pope Benedict is anxious to ensure a smooth transition of power to his successor, and does not want to go down in history as a pope who abandoned his ministry without sufficient cause. | The BBC's David Willey, in Rome, says Pope Benedict is anxious to ensure a smooth transition of power to his successor, and does not want to go down in history as a pope who abandoned his ministry without sufficient cause. |
| The pontiff's daily diary until his departure from the Vatican at the end of the month is already full. | The pontiff's daily diary until his departure from the Vatican at the end of the month is already full. |
| The Vatican holds a Lenten retreat from 17 to 23 February. The Pope will hold one more Wednesday audience on 27 February, again in St Peter's Square. | The Vatican holds a Lenten retreat from 17 to 23 February. The Pope will hold one more Wednesday audience on 27 February, again in St Peter's Square. |
| On 28 February he will fly off to the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo, where he will stay while Church leaders go through the complicated ritual of choosing a successor. | On 28 February he will fly off to the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo, where he will stay while Church leaders go through the complicated ritual of choosing a successor. |
| The secret process of selecting a new pope is known as a Conclave, governed by rules which have evolved over centuries. | |
| Our correspondent says says the behind-the-scenes battle for the succession has already begun. | Our correspondent says says the behind-the-scenes battle for the succession has already begun. |
| At 78, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was one of the oldest popes in history at his election. | At 78, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was one of the oldest popes in history at his election. |
| He took the helm as one of the fiercest storms the Catholic Church has faced in decades - the scandal of child sex abuse by priests - was breaking. | He took the helm as one of the fiercest storms the Catholic Church has faced in decades - the scandal of child sex abuse by priests - was breaking. |
| The pontiff said in his resignation statement on Monday: "After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry." | The pontiff said in his resignation statement on Monday: "After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry." |