Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Last Audience **

More than 50,000 people have gathered in St. Peter's Square to attend the very last general audience to be given by Pope Benedict XVI. Among those attending this historic event are The Hereditary Grand Duke, The Hereditary Grand Duchess and Prince Félix. There has been no public confirmation concerning the attendance of any additional members of the Grand Ducal Family or Prince Félix' fiancée Miss Claire Lademacher.

Photo: Hola
 It is known that the future Pope Emeritus will retire to Clementine Hall to hold one last private audience with monarchs and leaders of the political and civil sectors. There is speculation that the Grand Ducal Couple will take part in a private audience with the Pope Benedict because of the confirmed reports that there will be a last audience with monarchs  

Pope Benedict, who was elected in 2005, announced his resignation earlier this year. His reign will officially end tomorrow at 8pm. Following his resignation he will be know as The Pope Emeritus and will reside at the newly renovated Mater Eccelsiae. The last pope to resign was Pope Celestine V in 1294. One hopes that The Pope Emeritus will enjoy a retirement that is in stark contrast to that of his predecessor, St. Celestine. He had sought to spend the rest of his life in pious solitude. Unfortunately, his successor saw him as a threat and had him imprisoned. He died just 10 months later and was canonized in 1313. 

Wort has a livestream of the General Audience.

* Update: You can re-watch the last audience here, here you can see a picture of Stéphanie, Guillaume and Félix. Hola has more pictures.

Sources: Wort, Rome Reports, The New York Times


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