CBS News/ February 27, 2013, 12:17 PM

Papal transition: How much do you know?

Pope Benedict XVI greets the faithful at the end of the Ash Wednesday mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013.

/ AP Photo

His post-retirement title was something Benedict got to pick out himself, as the historical precedent may as well not exist.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said Benedict had made the decision in consultation with others, settling on "Your Holiness Benedict XVI" and either "pope emeritus" or "Roman pontiff emeritus."

So the man born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger in 1927 in southern Germany will keep some of the trappings of the high office, while leaving titular room for his successor.

Lombardi said he didn't know why Benedict had decided to drop his other main title: bishop of Rome.

3 Comments Add a Comment
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ZarathustraMike says:
Check out the new pope.... same as the old pope!
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absolutejoan says:
The Pope looks very, very ill to me...could he be retiring because of health issues and if so why wouldn't he just say what the illness is? He can barely hold the paper to read his speeches.
I hope we don't get a big scandal right after he resigns...that's what I'm afraid of.
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erzkarlaspern replies:
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Yes, he is ill. His biographer said the former pope is now blind in his left eye, has become thin and weak. He is almost 86 as well (birthday is April 16), so it is no surprise. Besides, handling the problems of a Church of one billion two hundred million people in so many different countries with different problems is not easy. We have No Need to know if he has other problems, since he himself has said he feels he has neither the mental nor physical ability at present to adequately serve.