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教宗本篤16世（Pope Benedict XVI）今天宣布將於月底退位，留存給人們的記憶，將是堅定捍衛羅馬天主教正統的傳統主義派，及不畏爭議的立場。
 
「中央社」報導，這位德國知識分子於2005年4月，78歲時，接替受景仰的若望保祿2世（John Paul II）出任教宗。在此之前，他擔任教廷教義執法人近25年，為他個人贏得「天主的洛威拿猛犬（Rottweiler）」暱稱。他也在特定情況下，重新引進長久被忽視的拉丁彌撒。
 
85歲的本篤16世將退位歸於個人年紀已大，他說：「我必須承認我已無力，適切地履行所賦予的聖職。」身為全世界12億天主教徒的領袖，他說，將於2月28日退位。
 
教宗本篤16世曾在2010年，在一項專訪中，說了一段很知名的話，他說，如果他感覺無法再履行教宗職務，就會辭職。
 
本名德國籍樞機主教拉辛格（Joseph Ratzinger）的教宗，他先後擔任教義部首長、教宗，拒絕任命女性出任神職，拒絕批准神父結婚；此外，他並強力反對墮胎、安樂死、同性戀，反對同性戀結婚，也攻擊搖滾樂，指稱搖滾樂「表達低階熱情」。
 
另外，作為教宗，本篤16世反對共產主義，也從不畏懼會影響政治的穩定性。他1984年曾說：「共產政權以解放之名掌權，是我們時代的一件恥辱。」

教宗本篤16世辭職全文(英文版):

Dear Brothers,

I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church.

After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering.

However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.

For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.

Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.

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