Anne-Marie McConnaught

Pope Francis Anne-Marie McConnaught

POPE FRANCIS: A Biography of a Catholic ModerniserOn February 11 2013 dozens of cardinals, vested in red, gathered in a room of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.
At the head of the room sat an elderly figure in a white cassock and red mozzetta (shoulder cape). This was Pope Benedict XVI, the 265th Bishop of Rome, 'Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Province of Rome, Sovereign of the Vatican City States, Servant of the servants of God.'
Benedict has succeeded John Paul II as head of the Catholic Church in 2004. He had served as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under John Paul.
What Benedict said afterwards however surprised and shocked the cardinals, as it would surprise the entire Catholic World. The Pope announced his resignation.
The last pope to resign was Gregory XII in 1417, who had been forced to do so. Benedict XVI gave as his reasons for resigning as declining health due to old age.
In his place came one Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, assuming the role with the iconic phrase "Accepto... I shall be known as Francis'. A catholic moderniser in his own right, Pope Francis has already made a lasting impression on the papacy. This is his story.