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| Benedict XVI to hold final papal audience in Vatican | Benedict XVI to hold final papal audience in Vatican |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Crowds have begun gathering in St Peter's Square in the Vatican for the Pope's final general audience before his resignation on Thursday. | |
| Papal audiences are normally held inside a Vatican hall in the winter. | Papal audiences are normally held inside a Vatican hall in the winter. |
| But such is the level of interest that the event is being held outdoors and 50,000 tickets have been requested. As many as 200,000 people may attend. | But such is the level of interest that the event is being held outdoors and 50,000 tickets have been requested. As many as 200,000 people may attend. |
| After Benedict XVI steps down on Thursday, he will become known as "pope emeritus". | After Benedict XVI steps down on Thursday, he will become known as "pope emeritus". |
| There has been no papal resignation since Pope Gregory XII abdicated in 1415 and the surprise announcement of Benedict's abdication has required the rules of electing a successor to be changed to allow the next pope to be chosen before Holy Week, which leads up to Easter. | There has been no papal resignation since Pope Gregory XII abdicated in 1415 and the surprise announcement of Benedict's abdication has required the rules of electing a successor to be changed to allow the next pope to be chosen before Holy Week, which leads up to Easter. |
| On Wednesday, the Pope, 85, will be making one of his last public appearances - using his trademark white "popemobile" to greet pilgrims in St Peter's Square. | On Wednesday, the Pope, 85, will be making one of his last public appearances - using his trademark white "popemobile" to greet pilgrims in St Peter's Square. |
| Organisers say there will be no traditional kissing of the pontiff's hand because of the sheer size of the expected crowd. | Organisers say there will be no traditional kissing of the pontiff's hand because of the sheer size of the expected crowd. |
| "He doesn't want to favour one or the other of the pilgrims," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told the AFP news agency. | "He doesn't want to favour one or the other of the pilgrims," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told the AFP news agency. |
| The BBC's Alan Johnston in Rome says that on Thursday the Pope will travel by helicopter to his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, about 15 miles (24km) south-east of Rome. He will cease to be Pope at 20:00 local time. | The BBC's Alan Johnston in Rome says that on Thursday the Pope will travel by helicopter to his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, about 15 miles (24km) south-east of Rome. He will cease to be Pope at 20:00 local time. |
| Distinctive white cassock | Distinctive white cassock |
| On Tuesday, it emerged that Benedict would be known as "pope emeritus" and would retain the honorific "His Holiness" after his abdication. | On Tuesday, it emerged that Benedict would be known as "pope emeritus" and would retain the honorific "His Holiness" after his abdication. |
| He will also continue to be known by his papal title of Benedict XVI, rather than reverting to Joseph Ratzinger. | He will also continue to be known by his papal title of Benedict XVI, rather than reverting to Joseph Ratzinger. |
| He will wear his distinctive white cassock without any cape or trimmings. | He will wear his distinctive white cassock without any cape or trimmings. |
| He will surrender his gold ring of office, known as the fisherman's ring, and his personal seal will be destroyed in the same way as when a pope dies. | He will surrender his gold ring of office, known as the fisherman's ring, and his personal seal will be destroyed in the same way as when a pope dies. |
| Benedict will also give up wearing his specially-made red leather loafers, instead wearing brown shoes hand-made for him by a craftsman during a brief visit to Mexico last year, the Vatican said. | Benedict will also give up wearing his specially-made red leather loafers, instead wearing brown shoes hand-made for him by a craftsman during a brief visit to Mexico last year, the Vatican said. |
| The title "emeritus" is used when a person of status, such as a professor or bishop, hands over their position so their former rank can be retained in their title. | The title "emeritus" is used when a person of status, such as a professor or bishop, hands over their position so their former rank can be retained in their title. |
| The Pope is to spend his final hours at his Vatican residence saying farewell to the cardinals who have been his closest aides during his eight-year pontificate, says the BBC's David Willey at the Vatican. | The Pope is to spend his final hours at his Vatican residence saying farewell to the cardinals who have been his closest aides during his eight-year pontificate, says the BBC's David Willey at the Vatican. |
| His personal archive of documents will be packed up and, at 20:00 (19:00 GMT) on Thursday, the Swiss Guard on duty at his Castel Gandolfo residence will be dismissed, to be replaced by Vatican police. | His personal archive of documents will be packed up and, at 20:00 (19:00 GMT) on Thursday, the Swiss Guard on duty at his Castel Gandolfo residence will be dismissed, to be replaced by Vatican police. |
| This will mark the formal end of his papacy and the beginning of the period of transition to his successor, due to be chosen next month. | This will mark the formal end of his papacy and the beginning of the period of transition to his successor, due to be chosen next month. |
| From 4 March, the College of Cardinals will meet in general congregations to discuss the problems facing the Church and set a date for the start of the secret election, or conclave, to elect Pope Benedict's successor. | From 4 March, the College of Cardinals will meet in general congregations to discuss the problems facing the Church and set a date for the start of the secret election, or conclave, to elect Pope Benedict's successor. |
| That successor will be chosen by 115 cardinal-electors (those younger than 80 years old) through ballots held in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel. | That successor will be chosen by 115 cardinal-electors (those younger than 80 years old) through ballots held in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel. |
| A two-thirds-plus-one vote majority is required. Sixty-seven of the electors were appointed by Benedict XVI, and the remainder by his predecessor John Paul II. | A two-thirds-plus-one vote majority is required. Sixty-seven of the electors were appointed by Benedict XVI, and the remainder by his predecessor John Paul II. |
| About half the cardinal-electors (60) are European - 21 of them Italian - and many have worked for the administrative body of the Church, the Curia, in Rome. | About half the cardinal-electors (60) are European - 21 of them Italian - and many have worked for the administrative body of the Church, the Curia, in Rome. |
| Will you be in St Peter's Square to see Pope Benedict XVI's final general audience? Send us your comments using the form below | Will you be in St Peter's Square to see Pope Benedict XVI's final general audience? Send us your comments using the form below |
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