Pope Benedict XVI will be the first in six centuries to resign from his position.
Benedict decided to give up his position of eight years due to his “advanced age” and declining health, according to The New York Times.
Bishop Jeffrey Monforton of the Steubenville Diocese released a statement Monday morning regarding Benedict’s “startling and breaking news.” Benedict appointed him bishop on July 3.
“We entrust our Holy Father…as Pope Benedict steps down from his office for the good of the church,” Monforton said in the statement.
Gregory XII was the first pope in history to resign from his position in 1415, according to CNN. As a result, Benedict will be the first to resign in almost 600 years.
Associate professor of classics and world religions Loren Lybarger said the election of a new pope would first include the Vatican convening with the cardinals, who are ordained bishops, immediately after Benedict’s official resignation on Feb. 28. They will then meet every day in the Sistine Chapel until the new pope is selected. A pope must receive a two-thirds majority vote in order to be appointed.
“A pope resigning from his position is rare,” Lybarger said. “Most die in the position and the church elects another. It’ll be interesting to see if he will have any input in who gets elected into his position.”
The pope is the leader of the Catholic Church and is considered the successor of St. Peter, who was known in Christianity to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
The pope also decides the rules the church must follow, according to BBC.
Any Roman Catholic male who has been baptized is eligible to be chosen as pope. However, all popes who have been selected since 1314 were cardinals.
Ohio University students who practice Catholicism had a variety of reactions to the announcement of Benedict’s resignation. Andy Erb, a practicing Catholic and freshman studying media arts and studies, said the pope’s decision was unexpected.
“I’m sure his reasoning is his own business and for his health,” Erb said. “I was surprised, but it doesn’t directly affect me.”
Kenton Ellis, also a practicing Catholic and a sophomore studying finance, said he personally had mixed emotions regarding Benedict’s pending resignation.
“I believe that accepting a position as the pope is a life commitment,” Ellis said. “But I also understand, because he could not perform his duties.”
The allotted time needed to determine a new pope has yet to be established, though the longest time the church has gone without a pope was three years from 1268 to 1271. However, Monforton is not too worried about the upcoming vacancy, focusing more instead on the well being of the soon-to-be-former pope.
“May our Holy Father remain in our prayers in this final month of his (papacy),” he said.
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