Pope Benedict XVI Steps Down And Officially Retires From The Papal Office

ROME, ITALY — FEBRUARY 28: People crowd the gallery on top of St Peter’s Basilica as a helicopter carrying Pope Benedict XVI passes by on its way out of Vatican City on February 28, 2013 in Rome, Italy. The Pontiff is flying to Castel Gandolfo where he will cease to be Pope at 8:00pm local time. Pope Benedict XVI has been the leader of the Catholic Church for eight years and is the first Pope to retire since 1415. He will stay at the Papal Summer residence of Castel Gandolfo until renovations are complete at a monastery in the grounds of the Vatican and will be known as Roman pontiff emeritus or pope emeritus. (Photo by Giorgio Cosulich/Getty Images)